In The Darkness, There is Light
by HopeTheVampireSlayer1
Summary: What if Angel never went to LA...Buffy and Angel had Connor, and two daughters. One, with the fate of the world in her hands. Her name is Hope, The Vampire Slayer.


Hope The Vampire Slayer  
  
By, Kristin Murphy  
  
  
  
CHAD KROEGER, featering Josey Scott LYRICS  
  
"Hero"  
  
I am so high. I can hear heaven.  
  
I am so high. I can hear heaven.  
  
No heaven, no heaven dont hear me.  
  
And they say that a hero can save us.  
  
Im not gonna stand here and wait.  
  
I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles.  
  
Watch as they all fly away.  
  
Someone told me love will all save us.  
  
But how can that be, look what love gave us.  
  
A world full of killing, and blood-spilling  
  
That world never came.  
  
And they say that a hero can save us.  
  
Im not gonna stand here and wait.  
  
I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles.  
  
Watch as they all fly away.  
  
Now that the world isnt ending, its love that Im sending to you.  
  
It isnt the love of a hero, and thats why I fear it wont do.  
  
And they say that a hero can save us.  
  
Im not gonna stand here and wait.  
  
I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles.  
  
Watch as they all fly away.  
  
And they're watching us  
  
(Watching Us)  
  
As they all fly away.  
  
  
  
( NOTE: Spike and Buffy never got together, Angel and Darla never had Connor, instead Angel and Buffy had him.)  
  
  
  
  
  
PROGLUE:  
  
  
  
I ran through the dark night streets of Sunnydale, my shoulder-length curly brown hair bounced as I ran. Two vamps surronded me. A smile crossed my lips, as the two dead creatures circled me. " Hey there, little girl." growled one of the vampires. I frowned. I'm 14. no one calls me a little girl. The two vampires showed me their fangs. I yawned, not amused. They lunged at me. " Don't you guys know by now not to pick on a girl?" I cooly asked, as I kicked the two vampires at once, sending them unto the hard ground. Reaching into my coat pocket, I revealed a stake. " Slayer?" choaked one of the vampires, as he saw the stake. " Very good." I sarcastically replied, as I punched the other vamp, and staked it. "Who are you!?!" yelled the remaining vampire. " Hope." I began, as I twirled around, and staked the remaining vampire. " The Vampire Slayer."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 1: Rick The Watcher  
  
" Okay, so all we know is that there's a new slayer in town, because Faith is dead?" Buffy Summers asked her watcher, Giles. " Yes, that's about right," he responded, as he fixed his glasses. " That's it? That's all we know? Whole lotta things to go with," Angel sarcastically muttered. " Um, hey mom, dad, can I go to the movies tonight?" I interrupted them. " Hope! How long have you been standing there?" Buffy asked. " For about a second, mom.oh god, no one told me it was 'analyzie Hope' day," I sarcastically replied. " Which movie?" my mother, Buffy Anne Summers asked me. " Ummm. ya know the one where the guy and girl hook up, and a evil guy comes chasing after them..?" I asked, trying to lie so that I could go to The Bronze tonight. " Isn't that playing down West Street?" Giles asked me. I had to bite my tounge, not to laugh. I made the whole 'movie' deal up.leave it to old british guys with glasses to be delrouis. I smiled. " That's it! And it's rated PG to," I said. " Who are you going with?" my father, 'Angel' asked me. " Um, three people," I said. Three people as in.me, myself and I. A smile crossed my lips. " Names?" mom asked me, as I groaned in argument. Just when my mother was going to speak Giles yelled. " Buffy! I found something!" he yelled. Immedntly, my parents rushed to where Giles was. " So, can I go to the movies?" I asked my parents. " Sure, sure." my mother answered. I frowned. Fine.it's obvouis they don't give a damn about me. I grabbed my coat, and put a stake in it. I walked to The Bronze. Bright lights, a dark club, and the smell of alchol greeted me, as I walked in. I spotted my two best friends ever. Alysion Jacobs, and David Keeings. " Hey!" Alysion yelled, as she ran over to me, her dark straight hair flowing as she ran. " Hey," I replied, as I smiled at her. " Hey," David greeted me. " Hey David," I cooly replied. We sat down at a table. Soon, David was up dancing with some rocker girl. Right beside them, was Alysion and a preppyish type guy dancing. I sighed, watching everyone else have fun. " Care to dance?" a male voice asked me. I turned my attention to the figure who was standing infront of me. He was tall with dark brown, almost black hair, deep hazel eyes, and wore nothing but black. I smiled. " I'd love to," I replied, as I took his hand, and a slow song came on, as I leaned myself close to him. " What's your name?" I asked him. " Rick," he replied. " My name is-" I was cut off by Rick's voice. " Hope ." he simply said. " Do we go to school together or something?" I asked him. " No, but I know a lot about you.and I know that you're the slayer," he told me. My heart skipped a beat, and my palms went all sweaty, and I could feel my face flushing. " Who are you?" was all I could ask. "I'm your watcher," he replied. " Watcher? I heard about you guys." I told him. " Let's talk somewhere else," Rick told me. I hesitated before answering. " Sure," I replied, as I made my way over to Alysion and David. " Hey, look.I'm gonna split," I told them. " Why?" Alysion asked. " Yeah, we were just getting all par-tayed up," David joked. " Yeah, the whole curfew thing.I'll see you guys in school," I told them, as I made my way over to Rick. Together, we left. We walked a little past the park. " I was chosen to watch over you and help you through your journey as the slayer," he told me. " I don't need any watching! I can take care of myself, if you haven't noticed." I muttered. " Yeah, well, it comes with the slayer package," he said. I smiled. " Good package," I replied, looking into his eyes. He gave me a desireable smile. Rick told me everything. about the whole watcher-slayer deal, and how he is now a student at Sunnydale High. " So, I'll see you in school?" I asked him. " See you in school." he told me. " Yeah, see you in school," I replied. He smiled, and walked away. " Goodnight." I whispered, as I began to walk home, when all of a sudden I heard a scream coming from the alley way. I looked at the alley way. It was all spooky.and I don't like spooky stuff. But, a slayer has to do what a slayer has to do. " I should so get paid," I muttered, as I ran toward the scream, and found a vampire about to bite a young girl. No..not just any young girl. Alysion! " Is this a private party?" I asked. Just then, five vampires came out of nowhere. " Okay, helbout this, you put down the girl.I let you live," I said. " Helbout we feed off of both of you?" asked one of the vampires. " Um.No," I replied, as I took out my stake. " Ya see.I'm kind of what do they call the chosen girl?" I asked, playing dumb. " Slayer!" yelled the female vampire. " That's it!" I yelled, knocking over the vampire that held Alysion. "Run!" I screamed to the her, as the vampires charged at me. Alysion screamed, and I pushed her aside, and started to fight the vampires. The one vampire held me down. They're too many.. Just then, a figure leaped out and started to kick the vampire that was untop of me. I met her eyes.  
  
CHAPTER 2: Discovered  
  
" Mom!" I screamed. " Hope?" my mom asked, surprise in her voice. A dark figure came up behind her. " Mom! Watch out!" I screamed, as I pushed my mother aside, and got hit by the figure instead.  
  
" Hope!" my mom screamed. My mother was too busy fighting vampires.so who was this figure who was getting the vampire off of me? " Dad." I softly said, as he helped me up. " Hope? What are you doing here?" he asked me. " Better yet what are you doing here?" I asked, as a vampire charged me. " Slayer!" it yelled. Buffy and Angel both watched as the vampire said the words right to me. Slayer. I am a slayer. and my parents. they now know. " Slayer." I softly said, my voice filled with agony, as I pushed it to the ground. " That's me!" I screamed angrily, as I kicked the undead creature, and pushed it against the wall, and finally staked it. I looked at my parents, who were looking down in horror at something. no someone. " What is it?" I asked them, walking towards the figure that lay motionless. I then saw it..saw someone. Alysion. I cupped a hand over my mouth. I dropped to my knees. " She'll be fine," the doctor told us. I breathed a sigh of relief. " Can we see her?" I asked. " Only one of you can see her though," the doctor replied. " I'll go," I stated, as I followed the doctor to Alyison's room. I walked into her room, as the doctor left me. " Alyison." I camly said, as I walked towards her, and sat beside her on the hospital bed. No response. But she's breathing. Good.good. I looked at the stable Alyison lying there, and tears grew in my eyes. " Oh God, Alyison!" I softly yelled, as tears started to release from my pained eyes. " I'm so sorry! It's all my fault that you're here. It's because I'm a damn slayer!" I said, as I started to cry. " I promise." I got a hold of myself, although tears were still running down my face. " I promise I'll look out for you and everyone else from now on. Ya here me, Alyison? I promise.." I softly told her, as I buried my head in her shoulder. Even if it means my own life. The next day, I awoke to the hot sun rays of the sun shining through my window. I camly got up, and got dressed for the day. I arrived at Sunnydale High, home of the hellmouth, and home of me, the chosen girl who kills all the 'big bads.' David greeted me. " Hey," he said. " Morning," I replied, as we walked to class. I suddenly stopped, seeing a farmiliar face. " Hey Rick," I smiled. " Hope," Rick said, surprised.Surprised in a good way. " Um, Hey, I'm David," David told Rick. " Hey," Rick replied. " I'll catch up with you later," I told David. " Okay," he replied, as he left. " Your friend.?" Rick asked me. " Yep," I replied, with a slight laugh. " So, like we gonna do the whole slayer/watcher bonding deal?" I asked. " Yeah, something like that," he smiled. The bell rang. " Ugh! Time to go to the whole class with numbers," I sighed. " You mean math?" Rick asked. I smiled. " Very good," I smiled. We parted our ways. After school, Rick and I did the whole slayer/watcher bonding deal. Um. that is if you call kissing bonding. " Good bonding," Rick smiled, as he broke the kiss. " Very good bonding," I smiled, as I kissed him once again. We sat on the bench kissing.I mean 'bonding', when all of a sudden the dreadish moment happened. " HOPE MARIE SUMMERS!" I heard a voice yell. okay, scream. I immedntly turned around, as I broke the kiss and stared into the eyes of. " Hi daddy." I sheeplishly said, as I saw my angry as hell dad standing there. " I thought you said you were going to spend time with your watcher today!" my dad yelled. I blushed slightly. " Um, this is my watcher, Rick. Rick meet my dad. Dad, meet my watcher, Rick," I said. Okay, so like here I am, being lectured by my parents about how watchers and slayers aren't a good couple, and how I am to young to date or kiss. I rolled my eyes. " Oh yeah! Well then how did you and dad meet?" I asked. My parents exchanged looks, as I raised my eyebrow. They told me. " Dad was a vampire!?!" I yelled in shock. " Yep," my mom said. I looked over at my dad. " Okay, I am so offically freaked out," I stated. Later that night, I decided to sneak out, and patrol. " Hey there luv," a britishish voice stated. I smelled his scent. " Vampire!" I yelled, as I quickly turned around, stake in hand, pinning the bleached blond vampire to the ground. " Fiesty slayer now aren't you?" he smiled. I narrowed my eyes at him. " And who are you?" I asked. " Name's Spike," he told me.  
  
CHAPTER 3: Bitten  
  
" Well, Spike, I advice you to run," I told him. He laughed. I got off of him. " What's so funny?" I asked him, as I crossed my arms, like a mere child would. " Nothing," he replied, as he put a cigarette in his mouth. "Aren't you scared of me? I mean you are a vampire and all," I ask him, raising an eyebrow. "You may be a slayer, but you don't scare me," Spike said. I frowned. " Yeah, well, I'm sure Mr. Pointy scares you," I told him, referring to 'Mr. Pointy' as my stake. He laughs... I frown once again. " Your mother couldn't stake me, and you can't," he told me. " How do you know my mother?" I asked. " We fought a few.." Spike says, lighting a cigarette, and placing it to his lips. " Oh," I reply simply. Just then, as Spike took his eyes off of me, a vampire tackled me from behind. Spike pulled him off of me. I staked the creature, and looked at Spike with a slight smile. " Thanks," I told him. " Don't mention it," he told me. I smiled slightly. " Wait, how can I know that I can trust a vampire?" I eyed him. " Bloody chip in my head," Spike said. " I can't hurt a person if I tried." " How'd you get the 'bloody chip'?" I asked him. " Government," he stated. " Name's Spike, eh?" I asked. " That's right," he replied. " Well, 'Spike', I have to head home, before my parents kill me," I said, as I started to walk away. " Kill a slayer?" Spike called after me. I turned, and smiled. " The many joys of being a teenage-slayer," I sarcastically told him with a smile, as I walked away. I walked home and heard soft music coming from my house. I quietly peeked into the living room window, and saw my parents closely slowdancing together. A look of admirtation came upon my face, as I watched my parents dance oh so romanticly. " Nice scene," I heard a farmiliar male voice say behind me. A smile crossed my lips as I turned around. " Rick. What are you doing here?" I asked him, still crunged up by the window. " Looking for you," he calmly yet seduvingly told me. My eyes widen with surprise. " Really?" I inncoently ask him. He smiles and extends his hand to me. I paunder before I take it, and he slowly lifts me to my feet. He pulls me close to him, and I feel myself blushing. " What are you-" he puts a finger to my lips. " Sssh," he tells me, as holds me close to him. " May I have this dance?" he asks, as he whispers his question into my ear. I nod yes, too embrassed and surprised for words. He pulls me closer to him, and we begin to slow dance. The soft music can be heard from outside, so we dance so close to it. I meet his eyes. He kisses me softly. I melt into the kiss, as I wrap my arms around his neck as we dance. He takes my hand and twirls me around. While twirling, time seems to stop as I do so, and as quickly as it seemed to stop, I notice I am now in his arms again, and we are dancing romanticly, like we are. " In love," I quietly whisper. He looks at me with a weak smile. " In love?" he asks in a relaxed tone. I blush at my stupidy of thinking out load, and nod slowly. He smiles warmily at me and continues to dance with me. We begin to kiss, when all of a sudden, a honking horn intrupts our little kiss. " Hope! Hey!" a male voice calls to me, as I spin around in Rick's arms, to only see my older brother, Connor, standing there. He frowns a little, seeing me in Rick's arms. " Who's this?" Connor asks, a little rudely. I frown, and I can feel my self turning beat red. " Rick.Erm, Connor meet Rick, Rick meet my older brother, Connor." I mummble to the two. They grumbily shake hands. I roll my eyes. Suddenly, the slow music stops and my parents come out of the house, to only find that I am in Rick's arms, and that there son is home from his road trip without warning. Connor and I are three years apart. I am on my first year of highschool, he's on his second to last year. I am currently 14, going on 15 in a few days, while Connor is 17. My little sister, Autumn Anne Summers is 12, and currently away at my Aunt Anya and Uncle Xander's house for the week. " Connor!" My mom yells surprised, then she suddenly sees Rick and I. " Hope!" she says, also surprised, but not in a good way. I quickly let go of Rick, and think of something to say.or an excuse, fast. " Patrolling tommrow night? Deal! Seeya!" I say, pushing Rick a little. " Riight," Rick replies, as he walks away. My parents I guess don't mind to drabble at the little watcher-slayer inncicent, because their too busy praising Connor. " Well, I'll be heading to bed now." I say. I am ignored. Why am I being ignored? " Where I can sleep..or even die 'cause I'm a slayer and that's possiable, ya know.." I mummble, as I walk up to my room. While now in my room, I take a shower, put on my pajames, tie my curly wet hair up, and sit down on my bed. Connor is back.good old big brother..good old big brother who gets all the attention. and love. I lye back, and close my eyes. The next night, I ran through the cemetry, looking for vamps. I ran into Rese Lopez. Only.Rese isn't Rese. He is now super, vampire Rese. Uh-oh. Rese is your typical hit-a-girl guy.he's a druggie too. Connor made sure I stayed away from him.erm.Okay, I am a slayer..but this guy is one badass. " Hi, Rese.Um..here's Mr. Pointy, and here's you getting dusted by Mr. Pointy," I sarcastically say with a sly smile. " Slayer!" he yells, as he pushes me roughly into a tombstone. Ow. Without thinking, I ram myself into Vampire Rese, knocking both him and I over. He grabs my arms, and roughly slams me against the cold, hard ground. I kick him away from me, but he slams me hard into another tombstone, hurting my leg. I violently push him off of me, and kick his stomach, causing him to stumble backwards. Everything's a blur.were hitting each other. Everything's stopping.and I can feel myself dropping a little. What's happening? I'm the slayer. Rese is Vampire Rese. a mere vampire. He's biting my neck. sucking my blood. killing me. I can see flashes of my life in my mind. No. No. This isn't how it's supposed to end. I'm a slayer. I am Buffy and Angel's daughter. Their daughter the slayer. I haft to be strong. I haft to survive. I roughly push Vampire Rese off of me, and without warning, I punch and kick him with all my might, and with speed and power, I ram the stake into his heart. He turns to dust. I drop a little from the loss of blood. I wobbly get up, and walk limp home, holding my neck. I enter my house, to see my parents and Connor talking. They stop as they see what shape I am in. " Hope?" my father asks, weakily, concern in his voice. " Oh God. Hope." my mother says, the same weak tone. Connor is staring at me like I have a thousand eyes. Maybe I do.who knows, I've never been bitten by a vampire. Anything can happen. " Mom.." I weakily say, as I drop to the floor. I hear footsteps running to me. Voices are heard.they're so farmiliar. Help, I want to scream. I begin to close my eyes. Take me.take me away from this. I close my eyes weakily, wishing and hoping that I never wake again. Everything goes black.  
  
CHAPTER 4: Darkness  
  
Someone is shaking me. telling me to wake up. I secretly don't want to. Please let me stay in this dream world. no.. I don't want to go back to reality. In my reality, nothing seems real. not even my happiness. Please don't make me go back.to that hell, you call 'life.' I haft to, though. Without me, they are helpless against the evil. It's my job to protect the ones I love, and the innocent. It's my job to carry on, swallow my tears, and live. I haft to wake up. I am so happy in this blackness.I can feel nothing. I'm going back. back to my hell.I mean, 'life.' Hope Marie Summers is returning.For I am the slayer, and my job is to slay those who are evil, and protect those who are innocent.even those who I hate. I am the slayer.and I haft to go back. I'm going back. My eyes are fluttering open. Goodbye happiness, goodbye eternal darkness.goodbye my peace. My eyes open. I see the sun. No.I don't want to see the sun. I haft to, I have no choice. I am embraced by strong, feminate arms. " Oh, God, Hope.We thought we lost you." a farmiliar female voice says, as she's hugging me tightly. I recongize her. " Mom?" I ask, knowing the answer. What's wrong with me? .I'm so.so out of it. The blonde looks at me, with a hurt look. " Honey, it's me.mom.." she says calmly to me, pain in her eyes. I remember now.my mother. My mother my heroine, my role model.my life support. " Mom." I say quietly, as I embrace her, remembering everything now. Remembering my family.my friends.my joy..my happiness..my pain...the love of my life. I remember my life. and my past. I look at the scar on my wrist, and I remember when I was.was.so sad. I cut my. " Hope?" a male voice asks, snapping me out of my daze. I look up at the tall, dark, handsome figure infront of me. " Daddy." I say, as I slowly am lifted to my feet by him. " What happaned to me?" I ask him, cunfusing growing in my mind and on my face. " You were bitten by a-" I cut him off, remembering my destiny.my burden, my curse, my gift. " A vampire," I finish the sentence for him, and I merely look at nothing. " Hope, are you alright?" another male voice asks me. I look over my shoulder to see. " Connor," I say his name, like it's the first time I've ever said it. He looks at me, sadness in his hazel eyes. I wish I could say 'No..I am not alright.I want to cry and kneel down..' but I shake the thought. I flash him a weak smile. " Yeah. I'm fine.just fine." " Alysion tells me, you saved her life from things with fangs.um.vampires?" David asks me. I look at him wide-eyed. " Oh, um..did she?" I ask, pretending to play dumb. " Yeah, she did," Alysion says, coming up behind David. " Alysion.Are-Are you okay?" I ask her, concern shining in my eyes. " Yeah. Thanks to you," she replies. I smile half-heartingly. " So, tell me how you.you turned them to dust." " I dunno if I should.you guys will be in-" David cuts me off. " Danger? Danger is my middle name." he says with a goofy grin. " I thought ' Jacob' was your middle name," Alysion innocently says. David just pats Alysion on the shoulder, as she blinks innocently. " Tell us, Hope." I pause, and sigh, as I lean up against a tree. " Look up Slayer,The." I say. " The Slayer?" Alysion asks. " You never heard of me?" I ask. " Nope," David says. " She who hangs out in cemetraies a lot and kills vampires with pointy little stakes?" I ask. " I repeat, Nope," David says. " Okay, well.I am The Slayer.The 'Chosen One'. My destiny is to kill vampires, and 'big bads' and anything evil.and well do the whole 'protect the innocent' deal, with pointy little stakes," I say. " Oh, plus, I have the whole 'super human strength' thing going on too." They blink. " Stronger, Hope!" Rick screams to me, as I kick the punching bag with all my might, sending me backwards, and knocking into Rick..who knocks back into the wall, with me in his arms. " How was that?" I ask him with a smile. " Perfect." he says, his tone becoming cold. " Rick.?" I ask him, smiling a little, trying to ignore the glisten of hate in his eye. Then I realize something..the life that once shown in his crystal blue eyes, is now filled with coldness.no life.. death. Suddenly, his face changes to an undead creature.a vampire. " Oh God." I manage to whisper, as I lock eyes with him. " God, no." " God can't help you now, slayer." he says harshly, as he grabs my wrists, and holds me in a certain position, so that my neck is revealed. He reveals his fangs, and bends his head, about to bite me..but suddenly, I let go of his grip, but as soon as I begin to run, he trips me, sending me face-first onto the floor. " Rick, Stop!" I scream, as he holds my hands down. " Aren't we supposed to be lovers slayer?" he asks, as he kisses me roughly on the lips, biting them so hard, they bleed. I yell a little, as he reveals his fangs once more, and goes to bite my pale neck. " NO!" I scream the words on the top of my lungs, as I manage to free one hand of his strong grasp, and grab my stake. Just before he bites me, I hear the stake hitting his heart. We lock eyes as he turns to dust. " You staked him..?" Alysion asks me the next day as we both sit in my room. " I-I had no choice." I whisper in a weak tone. " My God, Hope.Are you okay?" she asks me, concern in her voice. I meet eyes with her, as tears glisten in them. " I don't know." I say. " It's okay to cry, Hope.It's only human to- " I cut her off. " To feel pain? I know it is." I run my index finger along the scar on my wrist. " You know I have." There's a dead silence after I speak those last words. and we both just sit there, until a knock at the door breaks the akward silence. " Come in," I say weakily. " Alysion, could you excuse us for a few minutes? I need to talk to Hope." my father says. Alysion flashes us both a weak smile, as she picks up her schoolbag. " I was just about to leave, anyway. Um, nice seeing you again, Mr. Summers." she suddenly looks at me. " Hang in there, Hope." Alysion walks out of my room. " Feeling any better?" my father asks me. I shrug lightly at his question. " Describe 'better', and I'll get back to you." I weakily say. " Hope, I have some news," my father says, as he now sits beside me. I meet his gaze. " What is it?" I ask him, a determined look in my eye, as my slayer instects kick in. " No..nothing bad." he says. " Oh, good..good," I reply. " After a watcher dies.and in this case, after Rick died.A new watcher is always called," my dad says slowly. I frown lightly, holding back my tears. " Who is it.?" I ask in a helpless voice. My dad pauses before he speaks. " Your new watcher is me." I lock eyes with him, as a slight gasp escapes from my mouth.  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 5: I Hate Mondays  
  
" Do you know how embrassing it is to have your father as the new school librarian?" I ask my dad, as he leans against a book shelf in the Sunnydale HighSchool library. " Do you know how embrassing it is to be the new school librarian?" he asks me, a sly smile appearing on his face. " Ya know, Mom told me that Giles was her watcher and the school librarian.Dad, your pulling 'A Giles'!" I joke, laughing lightly. His smile turns to a frown. " Do I look like a stiffy british guy with glasses?" he asks. I smile innocently at him. " Honestly.?" I joke. " Shutup Hope," my father smiles. Just then, my two best friends and so called 'slayeretts', David and Alysion come barging in. " Hey Hoperz, Mr. Summers," David smiles. " Hey Hope! Hey Mr. Summers, how do you like the whole ' I-am-the-librarian' deal?" Alysion asks my father. " A dream come true," my father sarcastically replies. The bell for class rings. " Ack! Class..were so gonna be late!" I say, as I run over and kiss my dad goodbye, as Alysion, David, and I run to class. " Serousily?" Alysion whispers to me during social studies. " Serousily," I reply. " So, like, your gonna do the whole 'Me no date' deal?" Alysion asks. " Yep," I reply, as I am about to drink my water bottle, when just then, Alysion knocks it out of my hands. " Alysion! I was just about to drink that," I say sharply, then, I see everyone looking at the floor, where my waterbottle spilled. " What is it?" I ask, as I suddenly turn my attention to where my water bottle lye. The water is now green, and the drops that spilled, melts through the floor. " Acid.." " It says here, that the deamon, Layfreck, has the ability to change things into acid and change himself into acid," my father says, as he points to the picture of 'Layfreck.' " Oh, just great.how am I supposed to find a deamon named 'Layfreck?'" I ask. " It also says that Layfreck usually hangs around and spawns where intense heat is," my father finishes. " Spawns? You mean as in little baby Layfreck's?" David asks. " Yes," my father answers. " Intense heat.The basement of this school has a boiler room," Alysion says. " Great. Just um.how am I supposed to fight something that changes himself into acid?" I ask. " Obvousily, he must know that you are the slayer, Hope." my father says. " I know, I know." I say. " Magick," Alysion says. " What?" David asks. " Magick. Hope, even though you are the slayer and all, acid can and will still burn and kill you. So, with Magick, maybe I can do some protection spell that can make you adable to the whole 'acid' deal," Alysion finishes. " Can she.?" I ask my father. " That sounds like it could work.but I'm not sure that you are powerful enough to do this, Alysion," my dad says. " Trust me, Mr. Summers." Alysion pleads. " Name's Angel," my dad replies. " Trust me, Angel." Alysion pleads once again. " .Only if your sure." my dad replies. " I'm sure," Alysion replies. " Okay, so how do I kill it?" I ask. " Strong medal to the heart. crossbow should do the trick," my dad replies. " Okay.let's make a trip to the basement," I say, as I grab a crossbow from the hidden chest in the back room. " Hope, you make your way down to the basement, while Alysion says the spell," my father says. " Did you find the spell, yet?" he asks. " Got it, Angel," David says. " Okay, Hope. Go now," my dad says. I nod, and make my way out the door. " Hope," my dad calls. I turn around and look at my father. " Yes?" I ask. " Be careful," he adds. " As always," I add, as I run down to the basement. Alysion lights the candels, and puts the spell book infront of her. " Okay, come out 'Mr. Acid Monster'," I say, as I hold my crossbow tight, and walk slowly throughout the basement. All of a sudden, I hear an un-earthly growl, and the crossbow that I hold tight, begins to become hot. " What the.?" I say, as I look down at my crossbow, and see that it is starting to turn to acid. I let out a little scream, as I drop it to the floor, and it turns to acid, burning a whole in the basement floor. " Okay, you just wasted a very expensive weapon." Layfreck growls, and shows himself only in.acid form. " Okay.um..eep." " Kanos.Haga, raghug stau.." Alysion chants, as she rocks herself gently, as she closes her eyes, and keeps on chanting the ancient words. " Kanos, God of Protection.Protect The Slayer from Layfreck.Protect her from his acid grip." she chants, as thunder is heard. " Kanos God of Protection, hear my plead, and answer, in return for the offering of human blood!" Alysion sticks a pin in her index finger, and blood drips out and unto the spell, as a thunder crack is heard as Alysion opens her eyes. " C'mon Alysion." I whisper, as I go to kick the monster. A single thunder crack is heard, as time seems to stop, I kick the monster, without burning my foot off. Time speeds up once again, Layfreck hits the floor. " Go Alysion," I say, as I grab a medal pipe, and the monster picks me up and throws me into the basement wall. " Ow. Okay, big mistake, Layfreck," I say, as I get up, charge Layfreck while sticking the medal pipe into it's heart. Layfreck growls, and in a blink of an eye becomes a pile of nothing. I drop the medal pipe to the floor, as some of Layfreck's blood on the pipe makes a small crack in the floor. " That's gonna leave a hole." I walk up the basement stairs, and back into the library to only see my dad, Alysion and David sitting at the table. " I guess it worked," my dad says. " Yeah, thanks to you, Alysion," I smile at her. " It was nothing, really." she replies, as she smiles brightly at me. " So, any words to say 'Ms. Slayer'?" David asks. " Yeah." I begin to say, as I sit down beside them. " I hate Mondays."  
  
CHAPTER 6: Anywhere But Here  
  
Three vampires surronded me, each one growling and showing their fangs to me as if they were some prize. I simply rolled my eyes and yawn at them. " Am I like supposed to be scared?" I asked them, as I revealed my stake. " 'Cause I am so not." " You think you scare us, slayer?" asked one of the vampires. " I'm not here to scare." I begin to say, as I twirl down, kicking one of the vampire's off of their balance, knocking it to the floor. I swiftly stab my stake through it's heart, turning it to dust. " I'm here to slay." Immedntly, the second vampire launched at me, sending him and I to the cold, cemetary ground. I groaned slightly, as I kicked him in the stomach, causing him to fly off of me. " Big mistake," I say, as I swiftly kick it in the head, and stake it. I sense the last vampire behind me, and I smirk as I gracefully stake him from behind me, turning him to dust. " God, vampires are so stupid." " Bravo," I hear a british voice say from behind me. " Hi Spike," I say, as I turn around, and face the bleached-blonde vampire. " Bloody hell of a show," he replies, as he faces me with a sly smile. " I guess um, thanks," I say, as I begin to walk with him. " Heard about your lovey-dovey boyfriend," he says. I hide my frown, and keep on walking. " Gee, I must've missed that copy of the newspaper," I reply. " Funny," Spike replies. " How'd you know about that anyway?" I ask, still walking with him. " Been watching you," he admits. I now stop walking, and face him. " Excuse me?" I ask, mortified. " You heard me, slayer," he says. " I've been watching you." " Why.?" is all I manage to ask. " Because." he comes toward me, as I back away into a tree. " Because I like you slayer." he tells me, as he runs his finger along my chin. " I like you a lot." I don't know what to say, as I look into his eyes, except. " Kiss me," I tell him. He looks at me at first, a little surprised, then he smiles, and kisses me. I melt into the kiss, and smile slightly as I do so. " Hope." I hear my mother say. I suddenly break the kiss, and turn to see my mother standing there, looking completely mortified. " Hope, Get away from him." my mother says, as she gently grabs my arm, and holds me protecvingly inback of her. " Mom, no! You don't understand." I say. " No, Hope, you don't understand. Spike is evil.." my mother looks at Spike with a slighty hurt expression. " A vampire." " A vampire that has a fond intrest in your daughter, Buffy," Spike says to my mother. They eye each other with an emotion unknown. " Hope, start walking home," my mother tells me. " Mom, no, I-" but she cuts me off. " Now," my mother forcefully commands, as I take one last look at the two, and walk away. " Stay away from her," my mother tells Spike, as she eyes him in disgust. " Can't promise you that, slayer, you see your daughter and I have a connection," Spike tells her. " A connection that is going to be broken, starting now," my mother tells him, anger in her voice. " You can't stop me, Buffy." he tells her. " I can and so will Angel. You stay away from our daughter, Spike, I mean it, or else." she reveals her stake. " Is that a threat?" he asks her. " It's a promise," my mother says, as she walks away from Spike. He stands there for a moment, flicking down his cigarette, and stepping on it, as he walks the opposite way. " Spike!?! YOU and SPIKE!?!" my father screams, as my mother tells him about what she saw. " .Spike is nice." I say in a weak, helpless whisper. " Nice? SPIKE nice is the day hell freezes over, young lady," my father tells me, as I flinche lightly at his yelling-fit. " You and Mom were like slayer-vampire lovers. it's not any different with Spike and I," I say in a strong, confident tone. " Lovers.?" my brother asks from the doorway. " Um.erm." I look at all of their faces, and my strong, confident tone drops to a low, helpless tone. " No, erm, not lovers.But.Mom and Dad were vampire and slayer and they were an item." " It was different, Hope.Your father had and has a soul," my mother states. " Yeah, well I'm different," I say, as I stand from my chair, and look on at my parents with a hurt and yet hateful glint in my eye. I start to walk away from them, and put on my leather jacket. " Where do you think your going?" my mother asks me, as she grabs my arm gently. I frown lightly at her, as I open the front door, and walk calmly away. " Anywhere but here."  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 7: Kat  
  
" I'm so happy I'm away from them." I say quietly to myself, as I stop, hearing an high-pitched scream. Immedntly, I run towards the scream. I stop where the screaming is heard, and I see a girl around 17, with neck-length black hair being attacked by a vampire. I run over to the scene, and kick the vampire down. The vampire growls, and charges at me, which I dodge. I reveal my stake, and immedntly stake the un- dead creature, turning him to nothing but dust. I then eye the girl who is still on the floor, looking ate awe at the pile of dust and me. I extend my hand to help her up. She pushes my hand away, and gets up herself. " I could've taken care of that myself," she says. " Really? It sure didn't look like that from where I was," I tell her, frowning at her un-gratefulness. " Whatever, and exactly who do you think you are?" she asks me, annoyance in her voice.  
  
" A vampire slayer, and exactly who do you think you are?" I ask her. " Wait.did you just say 'vampire slayer'.As in 'she who hangs out in cemetaries a lot and kills vampires with wooden stakes'?" she asks me. " Finally, someone has heard of me," I say with a slight smile. " Yeah, I heard of you. Infact, my sister was a slayer," she tells me. I look at her now, wide-eyed. " What?" I ask her. " My sister was Faith." she laughs a little. " I guess you're her replacement." " THE Faith? Faith, the rebel slayer?" I asked, blinking in awe. " That's the one," she says with a sly smile. " Exactly what is your name?" she asks me. " Name's Hope.Hope Summers," I tell her. She coughs a little. " SUMMERS!?! Are you by any chance related to Buffy Summers?" she asks me. " Yeah, she's my mom," I reply. " Hmmm..My name's Kat," she tells me, extending her hand to me. I smile as I shake her hand. " Can I meet your mother? Maybe she can tell me all about." I cut her off. " No way. I just had a biggie fight with her over some guy.I'm not going back there tonight," I reply, as I cross my arms lightly. " Cool, you can crash at my place," she tells me. " Um, sure," I reply, as we walk out of the now-abanoed store, and I follow her all the way down to 'Ellen's Avenue.' " Nice place," I say, as I walk into Kat's apartment. I suddenly eye a picture of a dark-haired woman, with a stake in her hand. " Was this her? Was this Faith?" I ask. " Hmmm..?" Kat replies, as she comes over to me. " Oh, yeah, yeah. My big sister Faith..That's her." " She looked so much like you.but more." Kat cuts me off. " Angry? Yeah, that was Faith. She took all of her anger and rage out on the vampires.and that's what got her killed." she tells me, as she turns away in pain. " I- I'm sorry for your loss." I whisper lightly. " Yeah, right, I'm sure your 'real sorry', when your mom got to live happily ever after, while my sister got sent to jail," she now turns and look at me with hate-filled tears in her eyes. I frown at her. " That's not true! My mother has had it harder than anyone! She has been through a lot.Look, Kat..You don't know what my family and I have been through..and I probally don't know what you've been through, but let me tell you that we have NEVER lived happily ever after.so just back off," I tell her, my voice cold and mortified. She looks a little surprised, and I can see the shock in her hazel eyes. " I-I'm sorry." Kat weakily replies, as she sits down on her couch. " It has probally been really hard for you and your family." I sit beside her. " It has.and I'm sure it has been for you too." I tell her, smiling weakily. There's an akward silence, until two handsome,musclear men about Kat's age come in. " Dally! Peter!" Kat yells, as she immedntly stands up and rushes over to them. " Hey Kat.Who's this?" the one called Dally asks Kat, refering to me as 'this.' " Oh, 'this' is Hope," she replies with a sly smile. I fake a smile. " Hey Hope." Dally gives me a seductive smile. " Erm, um.hello," I say weakily, not getting good vibes off of these guys. " So, you girls ready to go out in the town?" Peter asks us. " You bet," Kat excindigly says, as she grabs her jacket, as Peter, Dally, and her started to head out. She suddenly turns back and looks at me. " Aren't you coming?" she asks. " Of coarse," I say, as I follow her, and close the door behind us. " I can't believe you trusted them!" I scream, as Kat and I run down an alley way. " How am I supposed to know? You're the slayer!" Kat screams back, as Peter and Dally run after us not to far behind, their fangs released, showing that they are vampires. I ram myself into the alley gate, for it is too high to climb or jump over, even for a slayer. I ram myself even harder and stronger into the gate, as Peter and Dally now are close enough to us. I haft to break through this gate, or I won't only loose my own life, I'll loose the life of an innocent. Time seems to stop, as Peter and Dally now charge at us with full speed. With one final gust of my strength both phsychical and emotionally, I ram my body against the gate, and finally break through it. " C'mon!" I scream with all my might, as Kat and I close the gate in the vampires's faces. Time speeds up again, as we run once more. " That was awesome!" Kat yells happily, as we run throughout the dark night streets of Sunnydale. We stop, seeing my house. " Why we stopping?" Kat asks me, cunfusion in her eyes. " This is my home.." I say quietly, as I make my way up the stairs, and ring the doorbell to my house. My mother answers the door, as her eyes grow wide at the sight of me. " Hope." she quietly says, as I immedntly drop into her arms. " Mom.I'm so sorry.So sorry." I whisper to her, as she holds me. " Look, um.sorry to break up this whole 'mother-daughter' bonding deal, but I really need a place to crash tonight," Kat intrups. My mother and I now face her, looking at her puzzled. " Who are you?" my mother asks her. " Name's Kat.Faith's little sister," she replies. My mother's eyes go wide.  
  
CHAPTER 8: Jealously And Danger  
  
" Faith never said she had a sister." my father says to Kat, the next morning. " Oh, ya.Faith never talked about her family.." Kat mummbles. " She never liked us all that much, anyway." " Do you have any other family?" my mother asks Kat, as she smiles faintly. " A neice.Who's like two years older than me. Her names Hayl-." she gets cut off. " It's sure great to be here again," a female voice says from the doorway at 'The Magic Box.' Almost in a blink of an eye, my mother turns around, as do all of us. " Dawn." my mother says, her voice is low and weak, and her eyes are wide. " Buffy." the brunette says, as she slowly walks over to my mother. " Oh God, Buffy, It's been so long." the brunette says, as she hugs my mother gently. Instanly, my mother drops to her knees with the brunette called 'Dawn.' " Dawnie.I've missed you so much." my mother says, fighting to hold back her tears. " I've missed you too." Dawn says, as she holds my mother. " Dawn.we thought you were gone for good." my father says. " Ya, I know.I couldn't deal with the whole 'Buffy being dead AGAIN' deal." Dawn replies, as she stands up, and helps my mother to her feet. I stand to my feet. " AGAIN!?! What do you mean by AGAIN? MY mother was dead!.. And twice?" I ask, cunfusion glistening in my eyes. " Mother?" Dawn asks, as she blinks a few times, looking as cunfused as I do. " That's right, Dawnie.this is my daughter, Hope Marie Summers.." my mother says, as she turns to me with a weak smile. " Hey, there, Hope. I'm Dawn.your mother's sister, your aunt," Dawn says with a smile. " Sister? Aunt? Okay, um.hi," I say with an confused smile. She exchanges her hand. I smile, and shake it. " I never had an aunt before.or an uncle for that matter, so like 'yay' for me..for us," I tell her. " It's more like a 'double yay' on my part.for me coming back to my alive sister, and a neice," she replies. " I guess," I simply reply with a small smile, as my mother and my Aunt. I mean, Dawn exit the store. " Geese, just leave me out in the cold," Kat states, as she smiles lightly.  
  
" Yeah..um..right." I say, not really paying any attention, still looking at where my mother and my aunt exited. " Hope. Hope, are you okay?" my father asks me. After a few seconds, I turn around and face him with a weak smile. " Coarse," I reply, as I sit down beside them, and open up a book . " The end is coming near." a vampire growls at my mother and charges at her. She dodge's the 'charge' easily, and turns around, and kicks him in the backside. " Yeah, the end of your un-dead life, that is," she replies, as she pins him to the ground. " Wrong ." the vampire says, as he throws her backwards, and before she can get to her feet, he pins her to the hard cemetary ground. " It means your death." " I don't think so," I say, as I pull the vampire off of her, and stake him, turning him to dust. I help her to her feet. " You okay?" I ask her, with a weak smile. " Where's Dawn?" she immedntly asks me, looking around, concerned. My smile quickly turns to a frown. " Right here!" I hear Dawn yell, as she stakes a remaining vampire. " Wow, Dawnie.you sure have grown up," my mother tells her, as she smiles proudly at her. " Why, thank you," she replies, as she smiles brightly at my mother. " I'm outta here," I mummble, as I walk away from the two. " Hope, where are you going?" my mother calls after me. I sharply turn around. " Away from you and your 'little sister' over here," I sarcastically yet sharply reply, as I turn back around, and walk completely away from them. " She hates me, Buffy." Dawn Summers tells her older sister, Buffy Summers, as the two sit in the living room. " That's not true, Dawnie. Hope just needs to get to know you." Buffy replies to her younger sister. " I hope your right," the brunette replies. " I'm always right, Dawn," the blonde jokes. " I'm just gonna nod and smile and say 'riight'," Dawn smiles, as the blonde laughs a little, and throws a pillow at her. " Jealous?" Kat asks me from the stairs. I look away from my mother and aunt, and lock eyes with my new friend. " No.What makes you think that?" I ask. " Admit it, Hope.your so jealous," Kat replies with a smile. " I guess." I mummble. " Let's go patrolling.." Kat says, as a smile beams on her face. " No, Kat, I-" she cuts me off. " You what? Don't want to get in trouble? Oh, c'mon, Hope.you'll be lucky if your mother even notices that your gone," she replies. " Okay.your right, let's go," I say, as Kat and I head out the door, not only to patrolling.but to danger. As we walk through a cemetary, I hear Kat scream. I sharply turn around, to see no sign of Kat. " Kat.?" I ask, cunfused, when all of a sudden someone covers my mouth. I feel so sleepy.my eyes are closing.what's happening? Where's Kat? I hope she's okay.I'm going to find her.Yet, everything's becoming a blur. No, no.I need to stay awake for Kat's sake.no.no.I can't. I feel myself falling into the arms of. Everything goes black.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 9: Face To Face  
  
" Wake, wake, slayer." a domaniac voice says to me. My eyes flutter open lightly, as I blankily see a empty, emotionaless yet evil face. " Oh God." I say completely moritifed, as I open my eyes completely to stare into the face of. " Rick.." " What'd you do to her?!" Kat screams to a mysteroius woman, clothed in rich garments. " We want to know what makes the slayer tick, my child.and make her sanity slip away in the process," the women tells her with a wicked smile. " What do you mean.?" Kat asks cunfused, as two vampire's hold her back from the lying un-conscience me. " A little 'true fear.true hell' spell for your little slayer friend over here," the woman replies. " What did you do to her?" Kat asks, mortified. " She's in a deep sleep, my child.a very deep sleep in her hell.." the woman tells her. " What do you mean.?" Kat asks, her voice strong yet helpless all at once. " This is a pure test, my child. If the slayer is really as strong as we have heard, she will pass and awake alive.if not, she shall forever live in her dream world.her nightmatre," the woman replies. " Who are you.?" Kat asks in a whisper, holding back her tears. " Glory.the name's Glory .If the slayer shall awake, you tell her that the end is coming near." the woman replies, as she tells the two vampires to let go of Kat, and the three begin to walk away. Kat growls angrily, and charges at Glory, but as she does so, the three dissapear. Kat lands beside me. " No! Let go of me!" I scream in the blackness, as Rick tries to bite my exposed neck. I can see myself, as I back away from him. " Your dead.I-I killed you." I state in a shaky voice, as I hold back my tears. " Your right, slayer.I am dead. Yet, I always will remain a memory in your mind.always a piece of your heart and soul," he growls, as the scene changes to a cemetary, he roughly tackles me into a tree. " C'mon Slayer! I thought you were strong!" he screams. I am now on the floor, crying helplessly. " Show me what you got, Hope! Show me, slayer!" he yells, as he kicks me. " Hope! Hope, you need to get out of there!" I hear a farmiliar female voice yell to me..Kat's yelling to me..but from where? I look around helplessly, as I now realize that I am pinned to the ground, and Rick is biting me.sucking my lifeforce.and killing me slowly and painfully. As he does so, I remember when I first met Rick, and how much I loved him.. ~" I was chosen to watch over you and help you through your journey as a slayer," he told me. " I don't need any watching! God! I'm 14, not 4." I muttered. " Yeah, well, it comes with the slayer package," he said. I smiled. " Good package," I replied, looking into his eyes.~  
  
I felt hot tears begin to roll down my face at the memory, as I gather all my emotional strength from inside of me, and with one final push of my hands, he releases me, and I release a stake from inside of my pocket. " I'm sorry." I whisper to him, as I stake him once more, this time with tears rolling down my face. Once again, we lock eyes as he turns to dust once more. " NO!" I scream, as I fall to my knees, wishing he could hold me once more.. My mother's voice is heard this time, instead of Kats. " Hope! Hope, hunny.wake up, oh God, please wake up!" I hear her cry. The scene changes once more, and I find myself in nothing but blackness once more. I remember my mother.my strong, fearless, mother.  
  
~" Honey, it's me.mom.." she says calmly to me, pain in her eyes. I remember now.my mother. My mother my heroine, my role model.my life support. " Mom." I say quietly, as I embrace her, remembering everything now.~  
  
I shake quietly at the memory, and find myself now in a white room.a bed is the only thing in it, other than myself. Screams and laughter echo throughout the halls. I hear very farmiliar voices in my head, and I remember events that had powerful inpack's on me.  
  
~" Excuse me?" I ask, mortified. " You heard me, slayer," he says. " I've been watching you." " Why.?" is all I manage to ask. " Because." he comes toward me, as I back away into a tree. " Because I like you slayer." he tells me, as he runs his finger along my chin. " I like you a lot." I don't know what to say, as I look into his eyes, except. " Kiss me," I tell him. He looks at me at first, a little surprised, then he smiles, and kisses me. I melt into the kiss, and smile slightly as I do so.~  
  
I bite my lip, holding back my tears.  
  
~ " I'm so sorry! It's all my fault that you're here. It's because I'm a damn slayer!" I said, as I started to cry. " I promise." I got a hold of myself, although tears were still running down my face. " I promise I'll look out for you and everyone else from now on. Ya here me, Alyison? I promise.." I softly told her, as I buried my head in her shoulder.~  
  
I begin to cry.  
  
~" You staked him..?" Alysion asks me the next day as we both sit in my room. " I-I had no choice." I whisper in a weak tone. " My God, Hope.Are you okay?" she asks me, concern in her voice. I meet eyes with her, as tears glisten in them. " I don't know." I say. " It's okay to cry, Hope.It's only human to-" I cut her off. " To feel pain? I know it is." I run my index finger along the scar on my wrist. " You know I have."~  
  
I let out a sob, and fall to my knees, hysterical crying.  
  
~" I'm outta here," I mummble, as I walk away from the two. " Hope, where are you going?" my mother calls after me. I sharply turn around. " Away from you and your 'little sister' over here," I sarcastically yet sharply reply, as I turn back around, and walk completely away from them.~  
  
" Hope! Hope.come back to us!" I hear my father yell, as I feel him sit beside my un-conscience body. " Hope.Oh God, Hope, please.please wake up.I believe in you.We.I believe you can break through this!" I hear my mother cry, as I hear her kneel beside me.  
  
" I believe in you.We.I believe you can break through this!" the words echo throughout my head.  
  
They believe in me.they all have faith in me. It's time for me to go back.It's time for me to overcome my pain and sorrow, and break out of this hell.  
  
I run throughout the blackness, running back to life.running back to my family and friends, running back to my love, my care, my joy, my pain, my curse, my gift, my sorrow, my hope. Screams fill my head and the past in which haunts my life forever flashes throughout my mind, as a flash of the scar on my wrist overcomes my mind. I suddenly stop, caught between the light and the dark. Caught between life and death. I look at both of the choices, and I hear my family and friends calling to me.telling me to come back to them.saying that they need me. They do need me, for without me, they are powerless against all those who wish to harm them. The dark is empty, and all that there is pain..for there I am face-to-face now with my pain. The light is empty, yet there is also pain, and yet happiness. I run towards the light. It surrondes me as if I am an angel..or an higher- being. I'm neither. I am just some girl who got chosen to keep some super-powers, and save the world occasionally. Take away my super-powers, my family, my few friends, my world.and all you have left is me.  
  
Me. Hope Marie Summers.  
  
I open my eyes.  
  
CHAPTER 10: A Place For My Head  
  
" Where were you?" Kat asks me the next day as she sits beside me on my bed. " Hell.My hell." I blankily say, looking in a slight daze as I do so. " Hope? Hope, are you okay?" she asks me, waving a hand infront of my face. I snap out of my daze and lock eyes with her. " Yeah, um, yeah. I'm fine," I say, looking at her a little cunfused. She begins to talk about.about something, I don't really know. I don't understand why I can't focus on anything or anyone today. What's wrong with me? What did that spell do to me? Last night, when I came back from it.I was. am so different. I want to be back how I was. I want to be a little happy again.Now, I'm not even the slightest happy. To tell you the truth, I don't feel anything at all. I feel so.so.. Empty. " Hope?" Kat asks me now in a higher tone, as I snap out of my daze once more, and look at her. " Are you okay? Because your doing one of those 'I am not here' things." " I'm here, Kat," I say in the weakest tone possiable. " Physchically, yes. Mentally." Kat begins as I cut her off. " I'm here Kat. I'm here in all forms. I am here, and always will be," I say, my voice strong and harsh. " Are you sure about that, slayer?" she replies, her voice cold. " Kat, there's no reason to fight.Let's just-" I sigh as she cuts me off. " Forget about it? Helbout you take your own damn advice, and forget about that spell! Or would that be too painless for you? Oh, I forgot, you like pain," Kat yells. I look at her, completely mortified. " Get out." I say in a shocked voice. " Hope, I was only-" I cut her off this time. " Get out!" I scream, as I hold back my tears, as she exists my room. I flinge at I hear the front door slam. I stare out the window at first, than I bury my head in my hands and let out a loud sob, as I begin to cry. " Hey." Connor says gently, as I look up in an instant, revealing my tear-streeked eyes, and my runny nose from crying. " C- Connor.W-What are you d-doing here?" I ask him, between little sobs. " I have a better question. Helcome your crying?" he asks me, concerned. " Kat hates me," I say blankily without thinking. " That's not true, Hope," he reasures. I lock eyes with him. " It is true! We had a fight! God, we had a fucking fight!" I yell, as I begin to cry more. " She fucking said I liked pain." I let out a sob. " That's not true.I am the slayer, my job is to endure pain." My brother looks at me, with no sign of emotion. " Endure or feel? Because, it seems to me you do more of the whole 'feeling pain' deal," he says. " You think I like feeling pain?" I ask, moritifed. " I dunno, do you?" he asks me. I look away from him. " Of coarse, not, Connor." I reply. He suddenly puts his finger on my chin, and makes me meet his stare. Un-expendingly, he gently grabs my arm and shows me the scar along my wrist. " Are you sure about that?" he asks. I roughly yank my arm away from him, and stare at him in complete and utter pain and shock. " How could you do that?" I ask him, practically in tears. " How could you do that?" he asks, as he points to my scar. Without warning or thinking, I bring my hand to his face, and slap him hard. He holds his cheek where I slapped him with my 'slayer-strength', and he just looks at me, as I look on at him with my hand cupped over my mouth, as my eyes glisten with tears. " Oh God, Connor, I'm so sorry." I say, in a weak tone. " Fuck you," he says, as he leaves my room. As I sit on my bed, I look at a picture on my dresser, of Willow. " Willow, I miss you so much." I whisper to the air, as I run my finger along the picture of the red-head. " Why'd ya have to move to Masschutes? It's not fair. I need you here." " Hope? Hope are you okay?" I hear my father ask from the doorway. I quckly turn around and face him with a weak smile. " Yeah, I'm fine," I lie, as I look at him. " Are you sure?" he asks, as he walks towards me. " Yeah, daddy, I'm sure," I reply with a cunfused look. " What'd Kat leave?" he asks. " I-I dunno," I say, as I turn away from him, and look out my window. " The light.It's so bright.It hurts my eyes." I feel his hand on my shoulder. " Hope.What's wrong?" he asks me, his voice concerned and low. I quickly turn around and face him with tears in my eyes. " I-I haft to go." I reply, as I get up and walk down the stairs. " Hope," my father says as I leave, as I hear his voice, I begin to run out the front door and out into the day. People yelling.car's honking.people laughing and smiling.the sun is shining down it's so bright.no.make it all stop. I bump into a person. "Excuse me," I say, as I walk dizzily away from the person. I hear my mother yelling "Hope!" from behind me. I begin to run more.  
  
~I watch how the  
  
Moon sits in the sky in the dark night  
  
Shining with the light from the sun  
  
The sun doesn't give life to the moon to assuming  
  
The moon's going to owe it one  
  
It makes me think of how you act to me you do  
  
Favors and then rapidly you just ~  
  
I run faster, trying to forget the memroies I pushed away all those years ago. " Hope!" I hear my father yell, as I run fast into the street. A car honks at me, as I run past it and away from my family and my memories.  
  
" It's dark, little girl," a creature says from the bushes, as I sit in the cemetary. " I know," I reply, as I turn quickly around to face three vampires. " You better run," one says. " Did that," I reply sharply, as I study their movements. " Let's get her!" one yells, as they charge me. I leap up and grab unto a loose tree branch, as they charge at each other by accident. " Correction, You better run!" I yell, as I drop to my feet with a piece of the tree branch in my hand. " You see, I'm slayer and I forgot my stake, so I'll just haft to impromise." One growls, and leaps at me, as I begin to fight it.  
  
~Turn around and start asking me about  
  
Things you want back from me  
  
I'm sick of the tension sick of the hunger  
  
Sick of you acting like I owe you this  
  
Find another place to feed your greed  
  
While I find a place to rest~  
  
  
  
" One down," I begin as I turn around and stake the vampire. " Two to go." I flip down, knocking the vampire to it's feet, and I immedntly stake it, as it turns to dust. I walk towards the remaining vampire. " Your in pain." it says. " Correction, your going to be in pain." I reply, as I show him the piece of wood. " I can help you. I know what's to come." it replies. " You know what kind of help you need?" I ask him, as I tackle him to the floor, and pin him down, as I aim the wooden piece at his heart.  
  
" God." I push the piece through his heart, staking him, and turning him to nothing more but dust. " I don't understand, Hope." I hear Kat say from behind me. I turn and face her.  
  
~I want to be in another place  
  
I hate when you say you don't understand  
  
(You'll see it's not meant to be)  
  
I want to be in the energy, not with the enemy  
  
A place for my head~  
  
" Don't understand what?" I ask her, as I get up from the cold, cemetary ground, and drop the piece of wood to the ground. " You. I don't understand you. I don't understand your actions, your thoughts, your emotions ." she says. I look at her with a glint of hate in my eyes. " You say you're my 'friend' right?" I walk towards her. " Well, my 'friend' why don't you stop trying to understand me." She steps closer to me, and now we are eye-to-eye. " You are a coward! You always think you're the 'hero' or that people should owe you their whatevers all because you save their lives! The truth is you owe us your life! Your job is to save, well 'newsflash' you can't even save yourself!" she yells. I feel hot tears burn in my eyes, as I slap her hard across her frail face.  
  
~Maybe someday I'll be just like you and  
  
Step on people like you do and run  
  
Away the people I thought I knew  
  
I remember back then who you were  
  
You used to be calm used to be strong  
  
Used to be generous but you should've known that you'd  
  
Wear out your welcome now you see  
  
How quiet it is all alone~  
  
Without warning, she tackles me to the ground. I quickly throw her off of me, and when I just am up to my feet, she pushes me into a tombstone. She throws a punch at my lying body, and I quickly dodge the punch, and rise to my feet, as she raises to punch me once more, I catch her fists in my hands. " Kat, stop it! What's wrong with you? Why are you doing this?" I ask her. She frowns and pushes me roughly, as she charges at me once more. I gasp and tumble out of the way, and as I do, time seems to stop as I suddenly realize that the life that show in her eyes are no more.and her eyes are filled with. " Hate," I say quietly, as time speeds up again, as she rams herself into the ground, missing my body. I quickly rise to my feet, and pin Kat to the ground. " Hate.Why are you being so- " she cuts me off. " Evil? Yeah.You finally understand, Hope." she says, as she smiles wickedly at me. " I'm not on your side at all.I was sent here to destroy and kill the slayer, the daughter of Buffy Anne Summers." I look at her wide-eyed.  
  
~I'm so  
  
Sick of the tension sick of the hunger  
  
Sick of you acting like I owe you this  
  
Find another place to feed your greed  
  
While I find a place to rest I'm so  
  
Sick of the tension sick of the hunger  
  
Sick of you acting like I owe you this  
  
Find another place to feed your greed  
  
While I find a place to rest~  
  
" Oh God," I reply, as I let go of her, and back away from her in utter shock. " Awww, is the slayer upset? Upset that everyone who she loves turns out to be hiding a deep dark secret? Well, your not exactly honest yourself, there slayer," she tells me, as she walks towards me. " No.." I quietly say, as I look at her with tears in my eyes. " You even have proof." she grabs my wrist and shows me the scar. " You're a coward." I listen to her words, and I slide down a tree, holding my head, and looking at her, completely moritfied.  
  
~You try to take the best of me  
  
Go away~  
  
" Aw, did I hurt you slayer?" she asks, as she smiles evily at me.  
  
~You try to take the best of me  
  
Go away~  
  
I look at her with hate, as she smiles wickedly, and picks up the heavy piece of wood from the tree, and smiles as she holds it in her hands.  
  
~You try to take the best of me  
  
Go away~  
  
" Night, night, slayer," she says, as she brings the wood down to my head. I quickly catch the wood in my hands, and rise to my feet, as Kat's face quickly changes to a cunfused look as she holds the piece. I grab the piece from her and step on it, as I look at her in disgust. " Hope.I.." she says moritifed, as she looks at me. " I don't understand how your so strong."  
  
~You try to take the best of me  
  
Go away I want to be in another place  
  
I hate when you say you don't understand  
  
(You'll see it's not meant to be)~  
  
" It's not meant to be," I reply, as I look at her with hate. " What's not meant to be?" she asks me. " Your not meant to win," I reply, as I push her roughly against the tree.  
  
~I want to be in the energy, not with the enemy A place for my head Shutup~  
  
" Hope.Please don't," she says, as she looks at me weakily, as I put my hands around her throat, and lift her up, as I stare into her eyes with hate, as I start to choak her slowly. " Hope.no." she says, as I feel hot tears burn my eyes, as I remember flashes of our time together as friends, as I look at her slowly, than turn away.  
  
~ Sick of the tension sick of the hunger  
  
Sick of you acting like I owe you this  
  
Find another place to feed your greed  
  
While I find a place to rest~  
  
I drop her to the ground, as I look at her with tears burning in my eyes. " Go." I say quietly, as she looks at me with cunfusion, as she stands up. Before she has a chance to speak. " Go!" I yell sharply, as she runs away from my sight. I watch her go in a daze, and I fall to my knees, and begin to cry.  
  
CHAPTER 11: The Beginning Of The End  
  
" Happy 15th Birthday!" I hear farmiliar voices yell to me, as I walk into my house with a slight black eye, my arm bruised, and a gash along my face. It's silent as they see me. " Hope." my father is the first to speak. " Hope, my God, what happaned?" my mother asks, as she now rushes over to me, as does my father. " Kat, she's evil.I mean truly evil. She was sent by I dunno who to kill me." I reply, as I drop a little in my father's arms. " Okay, Kat sounds evil and all.but who is Kat?" Alysion asks me. " And more improtanly, is she hot?" David chimes in. I shoot David a dirty look. " The slayer feels lost and and empty. She's vunerable both emotionally and physchically right now. This is the perfect time to strike," The Master tells a army of deamons and vampires, as Kat sits beside him with a look of guilt. " Having a conscience, Kat?" he asks her with a slight growl. " Hmmm? Oh, no, no! I want Hope- I mean The Slayer dead as much as you do," she replies. " We shall strike tonight then," The Master tells his army of deamons. " The Slayer is very loyal of her loved ones.She'll come with us." " How do you know?" Kat asks slowly. The Master smirks evily before he speaks. " She'll come and do whatever we want if we threaten her loved ones."  
  
" Are you glad your out partying, Hope?" Dawn asks me with a light smile. " Hmmm? Oh yeah, I'm really in a partying mood," I say sarcastically as I lean lightly against my father. " Hope, it's your 15th Birthday, shouldn't you be happy?" he asks me. I look up to meet his worried gaze. " No," I simply reply, as I get up from the lounge's chair, and go to ask the waitress something, when all of a sudden a crash through our table window is heard, and about twenty-five deamons come crashing through the window. I hear screams as I immedntly rush to the scene. I stop as I study the scene carefully. My father has Alysion and David behind him, and he's fighting off the deamons and vampires. My mother has Dawn behind her, and she is flipping backwards and fighting her way through to get to me. She's being grabbed by the deamons. " MOM!" I immedntly scream, as I reveal my stake, and jump at the deamons. I grab my mother and put her behind me. " Mom.You need to let me fight them." " Hope, no.they're too strong." my mother says, as she begins to fight. I sigh, and fight along side her. As I fight, the song "In The Arms Of The Angel" plays in the background.  
  
~Spend all your time waiting  
  
for that second chance  
  
for a break that would make it okay  
  
there's always one reason  
  
to feel not good enough  
  
and it's hard at the end of the day  
  
I need some distraction~  
  
I suddenly turn around to see the deamons attacking everyone I love. " No." I weakily say, as I stop fighting, and feel as if I might cry. " You want this to stop, slayer?" asks one of the deamon. " Yes." I say. " Come with us, and it will," it says. I pause before speaking, and I nod slowly. " I will," I say without thinking, as two vampires grab my arms and start to pull me away from my loved ones. " Hope!" David is the first to realize me. as everyone I love looks at me. " HOPE! NO!" my mother screams as she starts to run towards us with my father right behind her. The deamons point to a portal, and they look at me with anger. " GO, SLAYER!" it yells, as he pushes me forward roughly, and I can feel the tears burning in my eyes. " I'm sorry." I whisper to my family and friends, as I run into the portal with the deamons right behind me, and just as my parents are close enough to touch us, it closes, as the last thing I hear is my mother's cry.  
  
~oh beautiful release  
  
memory seeps from my veins  
  
let me be empty  
  
and weightless and maybe  
  
I'll find some peace tonight~  
  
  
  
" Welcome, slayer." I hear a voice greet, as I find myself in a dark room. " Who are you?" I whisper, as all of a sudden I feel hands come up from behind me and grab me roughly to them. " Your worst nightmare," the un-earthly voice responds with a growl. I scream. " We haft to get her back," Buffy says, as she roughly opens up her weapon trunk and grabs an ax. " Buffy.She's in a portal.maybe even a another deimension." Angel tells her. " I-I don't care! We.I haft to get her back, Angel!" she replies in a teary voice, as she faces Dawn. " Dawn, you stay here." " Buffy, I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm 22! I can take care of myself..." Dawn replies. " No, Dawn. I refuse to have you hurt while we try to get Hope back." Buffy replies. " But Buffy-" Dawn begins, as Buffy cuts her off. " Conversation is over," Buffy blantily answers. " Buffy, I'm coming," Dawn tells her with a little whine, as she grabs a sword. " Dawn, I-" Buffy begins, but Dawn cuts her off. " No, Buffy. I need to help. I can help, and I will help," she replies. Buffy sighs as she looks at Alysion and David. " You two go home." " No way, Mrs. Summers.I'm a wiccan, I can help," Alysion says. " Alysion, sweety.No," Buffy replies with a weak smile. " No? No is to 'going home.' Hope is my best friend and I'm not going to go home waiting for like a phonecall from Hope saying that she's 'okay' or something.I want to make sure she is okay and that she is safe, and with my help maybe she will be," Alysion sharply replies. " Correction, with maybe with our help she will be," David bluntly says. " Fine, you two can help us," Angel replies. " Helbout me?" Connor asks from the stairs. " Connor, I don't-" Angel cuts his wife off. " Connor, you can help.I trained him myself, Buffy.He knows how to fight," Angel says. " Okay, than.let's try to get Hope back," Buffy replies, as the five walk out of the Summer home.  
  
~in the arms of an angel  
  
fly away from here  
  
from this dark cold hotel room  
  
and the endlessness that you fear~  
  
" Let go of me!" I scream with all my might, as I release from the creature's grip, and begin to run throughout the dark room. All of a sudden, lights flicker on, and I realize where I am. " Were right underneath the Hellmouth." I whisper quietly to myself, when all of a sudden gas pours out of some vents, and I feel myself becoming tired. I finally eye the vent where the gas is pouring through, and with all my strength I run over to it, and rip a piece of my leather jacket off, and wrap it around the vent, holding in the gas. I cough as I stand slowly to my feet. " Slayer." A farmiliar voice greets me. I suddenly turn around to only see Kat standing there, arms crossed, giving me an evil glare. " What do you want?" I ask her sharply. " I had mercy on you.I saved you and this is how you repay me? You threaten my family and now you take me down here.to this.this hell." " Your very loyal, slayer." she says with a sly smirk as she launges at me, pinning me to the ground. " Kat, get off of me!" I scream, when just than, she leans closer to me, and she whispers into my ear. " If you want to escape, you have to go through the vent, I'll be right behind you..We have to escape, before they kill both of us." she whispers, as she suddenly gets off of me. " Now." she says slowly, as I run for the vent, and I rip off the leather, as I than with all my strength rip open the vent. We lock eyes.  
  
" Here!" Kat screams, as she hands me something to cover my mouth with, so I won't breathe in the gas, as she also puts one over her own mouth. " Go first!" I tell her, as she looks at me puzzeled. " Hope,You sure?" she asks me. " I'm sure," I quickly reply, as I see deamons coming for us. " GO! I'll be right behind you." She pauses before she climbs through the vent. I quickly reach up to the vent, but can not hold unto it. " Come on," I hear Kat say, as she grabs my hands and pulls me up. I smile weakily at her, as the gas comes pouring out of the vent, as we climb through it, holding our breathe.  
  
~you are pulled from the wreckage  
  
of your silent reverie  
  
you're in the arms of the angel  
  
may you find some comfort there~  
  
Kat and I are now out of the vent, and running down the dirty halls of this underground hell. There are alarms going off signaling that we are escaping, and that one of their own has betrayed them. All of a sudden, the ground splits from beneath us, and on the other side we see my parents, my brother, my aunt, and my two best friends all armed with weapons. " Hope!" my mother screams from the opposite side. " Hope, watch out!" I hear Kat scream, as I feel the ground beneath me split, and I scream lightly, as I fall. " NO!" I hear my family and friends yell, as I fall. Suddenly, strong hands lift me up, and I see Kat. " Thanks, Kat." I tell her with a small smile. " Don't meantion it, slayer," she replies with a light smile. " Buffy, watch it!" I hear Kat yell to my mother, as we both look back to where my family and friends are standing, and they are fighting about ten deamons. " Hope!" I hear Connor yell, as I see him throwing the sword to my side, as about six vampires run towards Kat and I.  
  
I hand Kat the sword. " What are you doing?" she asks me, as she takes the sword from me. " Protecting the innocent," I reply, as Kat and I stand back to back in fighting stances, ready to fight those who wish to harm us. We begin to fight.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 12: From Darkness To Light  
  
~so tired of the straight line  
  
and everywhere you turn  
  
there's vultures and thieves at your back  
  
and the storm keeps on twisting~  
  
" Buffy, we can't stop 'em!" Dawn yells to my mother, as she backs against the wall. " Yes we can, Dawnie." my mother replies, as she keeps on fighting the deamons. All of a sudden, a bolt of energy grows in the crack in the earth, as the crack grows, as does the energy. " Oh God.." Alysion says, as she kneels down, and opens her bag, to reveal a magic book. " Buffy.Doesn't this remind you of.?" Dawn begins as she looks at my mother with a weak frown. " Glory." my mother whispers as she looks at me with little hope in her eyes. " Oh God Tanus.Tell us who or what can stop this end from coming so near.show us in the energy who you wish to stop this.and who can stop this!" Alysion screams, as all of a sudden, a thunder bolt is heard, and my picture is revealed in the energy. It becomes quiet, as everyone now stares at me. I drop my stake to the ground, and I look at those who I love.. "Hope, no!" my father screams from the other side. " Hope.Don't do it!" I hear David and Connor yell to me. Alysion looks at me weakily. Kat grabs my arm, " Don't do it." " I-I have no choice.this is the only way to save everyone I love." I reply, as I walk closer to the energy. " Hope.Please, don't do it." my mother says, as she weakily drops to her knees as she looks as if she might cry. " I love you all so much." I say as I look at my family and my friends, and even Kat. " NO!" my mother screams with all her might, as time seems to stop, as I run towards the energy and flashes rush throughout my mind.  
  
~you keep on building the lie  
  
that you make up for all that you lack  
  
it don't make no difference  
  
escaping one last time  
  
it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh  
  
this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees~  
  
  
  
With one final jump, with one final breathe, with one final emotion, I jump into the energy. As I do so, I can remember my loved ones, my pain, my emotions, my happiness, my joy's, my fears, my hopes, my strengths and my weakness. The energy crackles as I feel my life slipping away. All those years I wished to die.I'm finally getting my wish, but for the first time, I want to live. I can now feel nothing but the light around me, as I close my eyes, and I feel my body drop. I can hear a thud.. Goodbye my family, my friends, my love, my pain, my joy, my fear, my hope, my happiness, my sanity, my life.Goodbye my everything. Everything goes eternally black. " NO!" Buffy Summers screams as she gets up from her knees and runs over to her daughters's lifeless body. " Noooo! Hope..Oh God, no."  
  
~in the arms of an angel  
  
fly away from here  
  
from this dark cold hotel room  
  
and the endlessness that you fear  
  
you are pulled from the wreckage  
  
of your silent reverie  
  
you're in the arms of the angel  
  
may you find some comfort there  
  
you're in the arms of the angel  
  
may you find some comfort here~  
  
  
  
The deamons and the vampires all at once turn to dust, and the energy dissapers. Buffy is holding her daughter in her arms and crying as she rocks her lifeless body, as Angel is kneeling beside his wife and his daughter's lifeless body, as he is burying his head in his daughter's arms. David is on the floor watching solemly his friend's body. Connor is walking towards his family, and he immedntly kneels beside his sister's body and starts to talk to her silently. Kat is leaning against the wall, trying to hide her tears. Alysion is walking towards her friend's body, and she has a piece of paper in her hands. " Canos.Tai Ya.See.Yoka Ui!" the black-headed wiccan screams, as light bursts from her hands, knocking Buffy, Connor, and Angel away from Hope's body. " CANOS.TA-RA!" she screams, as the light bursts to Hope's body, and immendtly her body goes up in the air, with the light surronding it. " Ta-ra, God of life.Bring back the slayer.Bring back our hope.Bring back our protector of evil." What's happening to me? Why am I waking up? No..Oh God, no.I'm going back to. Life.  
  
I'm breathing now, I'm opening my eyes. " HOPE!" I hear farmiliar voices yell happily, as I am embraced by musclear arms. I look to see that it is my father. " Hope, your alive." he says. I start to cry in sadness at the word 'alive.' " Hope.Hope, aren't you happy? Your alive now." Alysion says, as she looks at me in cunfusion. My mother embraces me, and I cry into her.  
  
" I know it's hard for you.being back and all," Kat tells me, as we walk throughout the park. " It is hard.I mean, I died for what.A minute? And I'm more 'Ms. Depressed and Lost' than usual," I reply. " I did never thank you for helping me out back there, Hope," Kat tells me. " You don't have to.I was doing-" she cuts me off. " Your job? No, Hope.You were doing much more than your 'job' you were making sarcrfices for not only your family and friends, but for your enemys, and for the whole world. Besides, if that energy had gotten any bigger." Kat tells me. I smile lightly at her. " The whole world would have been eaten up," I finish her sentence. " Oh, um..Hope.By the way." Kat beings as I face her. " Yeah?" I ask her. " You do know who the new vampire slayer is?" she asks me. I blink. " New vampire slayer?" I ask, crossing my arms. " Well, once a vampire slayer dies, a new one is always called." she begins. " Who is it?" I ask. Kat turns away before she speaks to me. " The new vampire slayer is me." I gasp.  
  
CHAPTER 13: Eternal Sleep  
  
" Kat, duck!" I yell to her, as a vampire charges her from behind. She yells lightly, as it does so. " I don't think so." I yell to the vampire, as I grab it off of Kat, and stake it, as it turns to dust. " Thanks." Kat says, as I help her to her feet. " No problem, I mean, us vampire slayer's haft to stick together," I say as I smile at her. " Your right," she replies, as she sticks her stake in her coat pocket. " Now I know what my sister went through." " Yeah, same deal with my mother," I reply. " Wanna go to 'The Rip'?" she asks me. " 'The Rip'"?" I ask her. " Yeah, it's a new club that just opened up down West Street," she replies. " Okay.Sounds good," I reply with a slight smile. " Let's go party, slayer," she tells me with a smile. " C'mon Hope! Dance!" Kat yells to me over the music of 'Likin Park' and people's laughter. " No, thanks. I'm not much of a dancery person," I reply with a light smile. " That's to bad," she replies with a small smile, as she places a cigarette between her lips and lights it. She suddenly turns to me, and offers me a cigarette. " Want one?" she asks me as she smokes her cigarette. " No, but if I want lung cancer or if I want to have my voice scarred and have it take seven years to go back to normal, I'll be sure to give you a call," I sarcastically tell her. She shrugs. " Your such a good girl, Hope.It makes me wanna puke," Kat tells me with a sly smile, as she gets up off of her chair, and makes her way over to the dance floor. I sigh lightly, and study all of the people in the club. Suddenly, my eyes lock with a teenage guy around my age, and he smiles at me wickedly, as time seems to stop as suddenly I notice his fangs. Then for the first time, I realize that all of these people in this club have fangs, and that they are all vampires. " KAT!" I scream, as I lunge off of the chair, and run over to her. " What's wrong?" she asks me. " Vampires! All of these people in this club are vampires!" I tell her, trying not to sound panciky. " What!?! Holy shit, we have to get out of here!" she yells to me. " Here," she tells me, handing me her stake. " No, Kat. You-you need this." I reply. " Correction, you need this, Hope. I'm a slayer now.if this means one of our death, let it be mine," she tells me. I look at her crushed. " No.No, Kat. I-I can't let you-" she cuts me off. " Die? I couldn't let you die back at the Hellmouth, but I did," she admits. " I let you die." I hold back my tears. " No." I quietly tell her, as I force my tears back, and she pushes me away from her, as I have her stake in my hand. Suddenly, I stop, and I realize that the music has stopped, and it has become quiet. The only sound that can be heard is un-earthly growls coming from no where. All of a sudden, tens of vampires come out and launches at both Kat and I. Kat pushes me out of the way, and the vampires tackle her instead. " NO!" I scream, as Kat tells me to go. " I won't go." I tell her, but before I can stay, vampires all launche at us, and she pushes me out of the window, and to safety. I land on the ground, and I slowly get up. I can hear Kat screaming.and the vampires laughing.I can see them all now running throughout the night. I should get up and attack them all.but.I can't. I slowly get up, and push through the empty building's front doors. I then stop, seeing a lifeless, not moving body in the center of the floor.  
  
I run over to the motionless body, and see that it is the body of my enemy, my friend, my fellow slayer. Kat. I kneel beside her body, and I see that she has a few bite marks on her neck. I close her eyes for her, and I stare blankily at her. It's quiet as I bury my head into her, and the only sound that can be heard throughout the building, and throughout the darkest night of my life, is the sobs that I cry. " I never got to tell you.." I begin, as I choke back a sob. " How much I cared for you.and how much you meant to me." I look away from her. " I should have been there for you.You told me to go.You sarcficed yourself for me.For me!" I yell the words. " This waesn't how it was supposed to be, Kat.You and me were supposed to be slayers together..and.and now your gone.dead.bitten by death." I remember a time when she was right, and I was in deniel.  
  
~" I'm here Kat. I'm here in all forms. I am here, and always will be," I say, my voice strong and harsh. " Are you sure about that slayer?" she replies, her voice cold. " Kat, there's no reason to fight.Let's just-" I sigh as she cuts me off. " Forget about it? Helbout you take your own damn advice, and forget about that spell! Or would that be too painless for you? Oh, I forgot, you like pain," Kat yells.~  
  
I look at her, as I finally let the tears release from my eyes. " You were right, Kat.You were right." I suddenly grab the stake that she gave me, and I look at it. " I'll fight them, Kat." I say, as I slowly stand to my feet. " I'll fight the good fight.and I'll know you'll be with me every step of the way." I begin, as I twirl the stake in my hands. " Even though you now have eternal sleep." I now stand over my friend and fellow slayer's grave. " I'm so sorry, Hope," my mother tells me, as she puts her hand on my shoulder. " I know what it's like to loose someone close to you.." I nod slowly, and she smiles sadly at me, as she walks away. I read Kat's tombstone and it reads: Kat Mary Johnson 1983-2002 Loyal Friend.Beloved Sister She made many sacrifices for others..Even her life.  
  
I look at the 'Beloved Sister' part. Faith, her sister is dead. Now, their together once again. Her sister would have liked to put 'Beloved Sister' there. I then look over at the grave beside her..  
  
Faith Rose Johnson 1981-2002 Beloved sister.Merciful Friend She didn't have much.But she always had love.  
  
I suddenly see a dark figure place roses on both Faith and Kat's tombstones. Before I get to see the face of the figure, Alysion's voice makes me turn to face her. " Are you going to be okay?." Alysion asks me, as she now stands beside me, as my family is waiting for us just beyond the hill. " Now, somebody is going to be called after Kat." I reply with a light frown. " None of us have any clue who it is." she replies. I look at her. " Oh God, Alysion.This isn't fair." I say, as I fall to my knees in her arms. " It should have been me." I say inbetween sobs. " But it wasen't." Alysion tells me, as I cry silently into her. By the way, you know that little sister that I have named Autumn? Well, she's unfortunally back from my Aunt's. " Mom and Dad have been looking for you." Autumn tells me with a small smile. " In a minute, Autumn. I'm kind of crying here," I tell her. " Mom and Dad are looking for you now!" she whines. I roll my eyes.  
  
CHAPTER 14: Before The Storm  
  
I make my way up the stairs and to my room. I look back and I see Autumn and Connor talking with my parents. I sigh, and enter my room and close the door. " Hey there love," a british voice greets me from outside of my window. I smile, and turn around to see Spike. " Hey Spike," I say, as I walk over to the window. " May I come in?" he asks with a sly smile. " You may come in," I sarcastically say the 'may', as he climbs through my window. " Nice room ya got here slayer. Care for testing out the bed?" he asks as he comes closer to me. " Depends," I say with a smile, as he leans in and kisses me up against the bedroom wall. " Hey, Hope, here's your sweater that I borrowed for-" Autumn enters my room, as Spike and I break the kiss and now stare at her, as she lets out a peircing scream. " Autumn! Shutup!" I yell. " What's going on in here!?" my father yells, as he see's us. " Hope had a boy in her room." Autumn says, as she smirks at me. " A blonde-headed boy with funny teeth." I frown at her. " Spike." my mother says. " Spike? You mean in 'bleached blonde haired boy' Spike?" Connor asks my mother. " The one and only," my mother replies. " What was Spike doing in your room?" my father asks me, anger in his voice.  
  
I suddenly turn around, to see no sign of Spike what so ever. Everything seems to be blocked out, as I look out the window. " Your grounded!" is the last thing I hear my father yell, as I hear him and my mother stomp down the stairs. " Nice one sis," Connor sarcastically replies as he shakes his head and heads out of my room and into his own. Autumn sticks her tounge out at me, and leaves my room, as she closes my door . " God, I'd take an Apocolyapise any day over her." I say to myself, as I begin to climb out the window, and to the cemetary. I than see Spike in his crypt. " Spike." I say, as I walk over to him. " Slayer." he says surprised. " Name's Hope," I say once again, as I put a finger to his lips and I kiss him. As I do so, I begin to cry. " What's wrong?" he asks me. " Life.I don't want to be here." I say as I look away from him. " You're here, and your alive," he tells me, as he leans closer to me. " You're here with me." I look at him for a moment, and then we kiss. I climb through my window at day break, to only see Autumn looking at my stuff untop of my dresser. I land on my feet, as I look at her as she sharply turns around and looks at me with her stick- straight blonde hair. I smile lightly at her. She's a spitting image of my mother.only in mini-me size. " What are you doing here?" I ask her sharply, letting a frown wipe away my smile. " Um.Um... Correction! What are you doing here?" she asks me, as she smirks and crosses her arms. " This is my room," I reply. " Yeah, but..um. Your sneaking into your room at 6 in the morning," my sister says with a defensive frown. " You were probally with that guy named Spike.Mommy told me he's a vampire." " That's it, Autumn! Get out!" I yell to her sharply, as I push her out of my room. " I'm telling Mom and-" but before my sister can finish her annoying little sentence.. My door slams in her face. A few minutes later. " HOPE MARIE SUMMERS GET DOWN HERE!" I hear my father yell from down stairs. I sharply turn around from my mirror, and frown. " Uht-oh," I say, as I put down my hair brush, and slowly open my door, and quietly walk down the stairs. I then see my mom standing beside my father, her arms crossed, looking very angry. Then, I see my father looking like a erm.very angry father. " Yes?" I ask innocently, gulping nervously at the tension that is filling the room. " Your sister just informed us that you just got into your room now, and that you were with Spike ALL night!" my father yells yet again. I flinche. " Well my sister is a lier," I blunty say, even though I am the real lier in this whole thing. " Oh really? Well we'll just see who is lieing Hope. Go to your room," my mother says in a calm yet cold tone. " My pleassure," I sarcastically and yet codly say, as I turn away from them, and suddenly I stop in my tracks feeling a very strange and yet unfarmiliar presence. Somehow, I know my parents can feel it too. " Hope!" my mother yells as she all of a sudden pushes me from behind, as her and I fall to the floor, as five soldiers comes barging in with sharp, pointy swords, who were aiming for my head. " Are you alright?" my mother asks me, as I stand and nod slowly, as I look at my new enemies. " Angelus," one of the soldier says to my father, as all of a sudden two soldiers begin to fight him. " Buffy," one of them says to my mother. My mother turns pale as she looks at the soldier. " Riley," she says in a low voice. " W-We have come to collect and kill your daughter," the one called 'Riley' replies to my mother. " Even if it means your own life." All of a sudden, Connor comes down the stairs with Autumn. Immmedntly, my brother is at my fathers's side, fighting the soldiers. Autumn stares in cunfusion. " What's going on?" she asks, as she looks as if she might scream. " Autumn, duck!" I scream to her, as she turns sharply around to only see more soldiers barge through the window. " NO!" I scream as loud as I can, as I suddenly jump on the stairs, and immedntly take the hit for my sister of the jumping soldier. I can hear my sister scream as the soldier called 'Riley' and I tumble down the stairs. I can hear a loud thump, as I slowly open my eyes, to only see the named soldier untop of me, with the sword about to go to my heart. My eyes widen, as I quickly roll away from the hit, as the sword instead hits the floor. I kick him in his stomach and he smiles seducvingly, as he hits me across my face, sending me into the wall. " Hope!" I hear my father yell, as I hit the wall. Blood drips from my nose. In a blur, I look at my family fighting the ones who wish to harm me, and my sister screaming as a soldier is trying to kidnap her. " Let go of her!" I scream, as I suddenly flip up, and land on my feet, as I grab a sword from the floor that the soldier has dropped, as I hold it in my hands. " I'm coming, Autumn!" I yell to my sister, as I cut off the soldier's head, and run up the stairs and to the aid of my little sister. " Get the hell off of her!" I yell to the soldier, as I get infront of my sister, and stab the soldier in his heart, sending him rolling lifelessly down the stairs. " Dad, take Autumn and go!" I tell him. " Hope, I won't leave you," he replies, as he stabs the last soldier named who fought him. " I'll be fine, daddy. Go. Now," I tell him, as he scoobs Autumn up in his arms, as I hand him my sword. I suddenly look at Connor. " Go with them," I tell him. " No way," my brother replies harshly, as he cuts off another soldier's head. " They need you, Connor. Please. Go," I tell him harshly. " You need to protect them." Connor looks back at me and nods, as he exists from the house with my father and my sister. " Hope, watch out!" my mother yells, as I turn around and see a sword coming at full speed at my neck, as time seems to stop as I flip backwards just in time off of the stairs to dodge the attack. Time seems to speed up, as my mother and I are now back-to-back in fighting stances, a sword in our hands. " Ready?" my mother asks me, as she briefly makes eye-contact with me. " Ready," I say, as I grip the sword tighter in my hands. " On the count of three," my mother replies, keeping her eyes only on the enemy. " 1." she begins. " 2." I say, as I look at my enemies with hate. " 3!" my mother and I both yell at the same time, as we both flip back, and begin to fight those who wish to harm us. After the 27 soldiers that attacked us, there are now only 6 left.. Now there's none. " T-They wanted to kill me. Not you. Not dad. Not Connor. Not Autumn. Me," I tell my mother as I drop my sword to the ground, as it makes a noise as it does so. " I won't let them get you. We won't let them get you," my mother replies, as she throws her sword lightly in the air and catches it, as she gives me a determined look and a sly smirk. " They have to go through me first."  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 15: It's A Curse  
  
I lightly stroke my sister's hair, as she lyes her head on my lap, as we sit on my bed. " Hope?" Autumn asks in a low, innocent voice. " Yes?" I reply with a small smile. " Are you going to die?" she asks me. I pause for a moment, not out of hesitation to the question, but shocked at it. Shocked that that thought would actually cross my sister's mind. Shocked that dieing is a relazation. Shocked that people I love may die because of me. " Hope?" she asks again. " No, Autumn. I am not going to die," I reply, as I feel tears stinging at my pained eyes. " Promise?" my sister asks me again, as she now looks up at me. I look at her, hoping that she doesn't see the tears in my eyes. " I promise," I say softly, as she now hugs me. As she does so, I feel my eyes widen, and tears fight to brake through, but I refuse to let them. What if I can't keep my promise? What if I do die? I brake the hug and look at her. " Your upset." Autumn tells me in a weak tone. " I-I'm not." I suddenly realize my tear filled voice, and I quickly change my voice to pure faith and cofidence. " I'm not upset." She smiles weakily at me, as I do so to her. " Sorry to brake this whole 'sisterly bonding' but, Hope, dad wants to see you down stairs," Connor informs me, as he stands at my doorway. " Thanks," I reply, as he leaves and I turn my attention back to my sister. " We'll talk later," I tell her, as she gives me a small smile, as I leave my room. " Oh, and by the way," I say, as I turn around and look at her. " No touching my stuff." She rolls her eyes. I run down the stairs to only see my father sitting in his chair. " What's up?" I ask him. " We know who the new slayer is," he replies. " Great. Who's my new 'partner in crime'?" I ask him. He's quiet. " Who is it?" I ask again, my tone more forcefull. " The new slayer is-" but before my father can speak, my mother walks up to me from behind my father. " Autumn." she says. " The new slayer is Autumn." I feel my eyes widen, and I just look on at them in utter shock. " Oh God." is all I can say. " Yay! I get to kill things with pointy little wooden stakes too!" Autumn says cheerfully, as she bounches around the living room, with a big cheerful grin on her face. " Woo-hoo," I say sarcastically, as I sit on the couch. " Why are you all so 'Ms. Glum'?" she asks me. " No reason," I say blankily, as I continue to stare in a daze out the window. Suddenly I feel so tired. My eyes close. This flash rushes through out my mind:  
  
~ " Hope, no.No, Don't go!" Autumn yells to me, as I stand infront of the cracking earth. " I-I haft to go, Autumn." I say to my sister with a light frown as I look at her with tears in my eyes. " Please. I'll be better, I swear." she says with tears starting to run down her face. " My gift is life, Autumn. And life is what I shall bring to you, mom, dad, Connor, and the whole world," I say to her. " No, you're part of my life.you're my sister," Autumn says as she begins to brake down and cry. " If I don't make it, Autumn.Remember, that I love you. I love you so much. I shall bring you all life on this planet, and please, please, treasure this gift I'm giving you and everyone. the gift of life," I tell her.~  
  
I open my eyes.  
  
" Wake up sleepy head," my sister says to me with a bright smile. I stare at her for a moment. .Was that just a dream?.Or a vision?. " What's with you? You were crying in your sleep," my sister replies as she stares at me a little. " I know, sorry I was having one of those 'Hope is wigging out' moments," I reply with a half-smile. " Nothing unusal," my sister says with a witty smile. Just them, my parents walk in but stop by the doorway. " Hope, we need to talk to you," my mother tells me. " Can't it wait?" I ask. " It's important," my father tells me, as I let out a sigh. " So, I have to spend almost a whole weekend going on some 'quest' deal out in the middle of no where, infront of some big fire, and have a dead slayer talk to me?" I ask sarcastically yet serousily. " That's about right," my mother replies with the same witty smile Autumn does. For a moment, jealously crawls throughout my body. Jealous that my mother and my sister are so connected.Jealous that my sister is the spitting image of my mother. I shake the emotion away, and I smile a little at my mother. " When do I go?" I ask, crossing my legs. " Your leaving me out here all by myself?" I ask in shock. " That's how it's supposed to work," my father tells me. " Mom!" I say in a whiney little voice. " I went through it too, hunny. You'll find out what your gift is." my mother begins as she smiles a little at me. " Oh, yeah? Well, what was your gift?" I ask my mother. She just smiles and walks away. " Bye hunny." she says as she gets into the car. " Be careful, Hope," my father says as he gets into his car and my parents drive away, leaving little slayer me all alone in nowhere. I light a fire in a few minutes, and I sit beside it, hoping that a old slayer will come and tell me about my gift, and my prophecy. I close my eyes for a moment, just a little, tiny, moment. " The daughter of Angelus and B." a female voice says to me from beside the fire. I open my eyes lightly, and I sit up only to see the face of a dark haired woman. " Faith?" I ask, staring at the dark-haired spirit of a former slayer.The slayer that I was called after. I meet the un-dead hate filled eyes of the girl. " My gift.You know my gift." I say, as I sit up now completely straight, not letting the former slayer out of my sight. " Your mother's gift was death." she says. " Your gift is life." I look at her cunfused. " My gift is life?" I ask in cunfusion, then suddenly I remember the dream..no vision, I had in the prevouis day. " It was a vision, then?" I ask. " Got that right. Future visions will be sent to you, slayer. They will help you for when the time comes. The time of choices, The time of life and death." " How can my gift be life, when in the vision it all points all to death?" I ask her. " Your from two powerful beings. A former vampire, and a slayer. You have the strength of them both, but the heart of no other. Your energy is from pain. You strive on pain," she tells me. I feel tears threaten my eyes. " I don't like pain." I tell her. " You don't just not like pain, you hate it. And the more pain you endure and feel, the more hate grows within you. That is what makes you like no other slayer that has come before you..You wish to run whenever things get tough, and slayer's don't run, they face it. You faced your hell. You have the mind of your father, the soul and spirit of your mother, but your heart it takes in the pain and makes it into fuel for fighting. No wonder you were called after me," Faith tells me with a sly smile. " Don't you dare comepare yourself to me, dead girl. You were the one who almost killed my parents, and betrayed my mother's trust," I say harshly. " Let's just say, alive girl, that in the near future, if you think it is the end, you got it wrong. It's only the beginning," Faith tells me with a light smile. " I say bring it on," I say coldly. " But, I-I don't understand any of this." " Your not supposed to understand." Faith begins. " Your supposed to give people life. So, give them life, Hope. A good life," she says with a little smile, as she turns her head. " Oh, and by the way, I would protect your sister, Autumn. She's an important part of your gift." I blink for a moment. " Wait!" I yell to her. She turns around and looks at me. " Kat.Is she okay?" I ask in a weak tone. " She's happy," she replies with a light frown. " She's happy that she got to save your life. After all, your gift is life." I smile lightly. " Take care slayer. Thanks for doing your best for my sister. Oh, and by the way." she begins. " Yes?" I reply. " Death and Life. One supports the other, but together they are unstoppable," she says, as she dissapers into the fire. " How'd it go?" Connor asks me as he enters my bedroom. " My gift is life." I say to him. " Life?" he asks me in cunfusion. " Yeah. Mom's gift was death. My gift is life," I simply reply. " My gift should have been death," I say blankily. " There's a pattern here, Hope. Everyone will and would sacrfice themselves so that you can live," my brother tells me. " Exactly," I say, as I hold back my tears. " My gift isn't a gift." I begin to say, as I stand up and stare at my reflection in the mirror for a moment, then I turn sharply around and look at my brother. " It's a curse."  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 16: Shaky Ground  
  
" Having fun?" Alysion asks me at the Bronze. " Describe 'fun', and I'll so get back to you," I reply with a small smile. " Awww, cheer up, Hope. After all you are a vampire slayer," she tells me as she sips her coke. " Ssssh, don't announce it to the world," I sarcastically tell her. " Hey girls! What's happening?" David asks us as he smiles brightly at both Alysion and I. " That so rhymed," Alysion tells him. " Really? Wow, I'm a poet-" David begins, but Alysion and I chime in. " And you don't even know it," we both finish the sentence for him, as I roll my eyes, and Alysion flashes David a quirky smile. " No 'slayer gal' tonight, Hope?" he asks me. " Hmm? Oh, um, no signs of 'big bads,'" I tell him with a light smile. " Too bad, I wanted to slay some vampires with you," a voice behind me says. My eyes widen as I recongize the voice, and I quickly turn around to only see. " Autumn." I say in shock, as I see my little sister all decked out in leather pants and a red teeshirt, as a spiked collar covers her upper neck, while dark make-up covers her eyes, and powder pink lipgloss coats her lips, as I see her stake in her coat pocket. " What are you doing here? More importanly, what are you wearing?" I ask her. She sneers. " I am here to see if some 'big bads' are around, and I am wearing some of Aunt Dawn's old clothes," she informs me, as I cross my arms. " You are going home! Does Mom and Dad even know you're here?" I ask her. " No, and please don't send me home!" Autumn whines. " I can't believe you, Autumn. Your 13 years old for Godsake! How did you even get in here?" I ask her. " Fake ID," she says plainly. " Excuse me?" I ask her, anger in my voice. " You know fake ID.An ID that is fake?" my sister asks me like I am some dumb blonde. Um, hello! I am not blonde, she is. " God, Autumn! I know what a fake ID is. I just don't understand you." I tell her. Before she can answer, I grab her arm. " Your coming home," I tell her. " Awww, come on big sister, let your little sister out to play," says a guy who is like around 17, and I hold my sister protactvingly away from the pervert. " She's under age, and you are so out of here," I tell him, as I eye him. The guy walks away, mummbleing under his breathe. " Hope!" my sister yells as she looks at me. " Hope what?" I ask her in anger. " That guy was 17, almost an adult. You are not even a real teenager yet." " Whatever," my sister replies. " David, Alysion, I haft to bring Autumn home now. Wanna come with?" I ask my best friends. " Sure, I had enough of the whole 'party scene' anyway," David says with a smile. " And maybe we'll find some vampires, and like haft to do the whole ' I am so gonna dust you' deal," Alysion says brightly. I flash her a smile. " Maybe," I reply. " It's not fair, Hope. I so wanted to do the whole 'slayer vs. vampire' thing, and now you ruined it," Autumn tells me, as she walks with David, Alysion and I throughout the full-moon streets of Sunnydale. " It's a full moon, Autumn. You could've been eaten by a werewolf," David says sarcastically and yet jokingly. A growl comes from the bushes, as a beast.a werewolf jumps out and lunges for Autumn, but I quickly push her out of the way, and go tumbling with the beast instead. " I was kidding!" David yells. " Um! Get off of her! " Alysion yells as she panicky grabs a piece of wood and hits the werewolf over the head, as he is now fully untop of me. The werewolf growls, and now looks at Alysion. Alysion yells a little, as she stares at the beast. Quickly, I kick the werewolf off of me, as it knocks against a tree. " What do you suggest doing!?!" David asks me. " I suggest we." I begin, as I see the werewolf quickly recover. " Run!" I scream, as I grab Autumn by the arm, and run away with her from the beast coming full speed at David, Alysion, Autumn and I. I then spot my house just up ahead. " Inside, hurry!" I scream to my friends and my sister, as they run towards my house. David quickly opens up my front door, and Autumn, him, and Alysion run into my house, but I trip. " Hope!" Autumn yells to me. " Close the door!" I scream, as I slowly get up, and see the werewolf about to come towards me. They pause and look panicked and unsure of what to do. " NOW!" I scream, as they close the door just in time, and the werewolf jumps me. " Buffy! Angel!" Alysion yells, calling my parents by their first names in pure panic. " What is it?" my mother asks from the stareway. " Hope. Outside. Werewolf. Hurry!" she yells. " Werewolf!" my mother yells. " Get off of me you ugly beast!" I scream to the werewolf, as it claws my face. I scream in pain as it does so, and I see the blood from the new gash on my face drip to the floor. " I can so not cover that up with conclear!" I yell to the werewolf, as I spin around with speed, kick it in the head, sending it backwards. All of a sudden in an instant, it knocks me into a tree, and I hit it's head, as it goes untop of me. I do the only thing I can. I scream. All of a sudden the beast stops clawing me, and I can feel it stop breathing and living all together, and it's blood drips unto my white tank top. I then see my mother and then I realize that a big piece of wood went right through his chest, and the creature drops to the floor beside me. I lye there for a moment in shock. " Are you okay?" my mother asks me, concerned, as she offers her hand to me. I take it, and look at her. " Yeah. I-I'm fine," I say a little in shock. " Dad. Where's Dad?" I ask her. " He went out with Connor tonight. Ya know, a little 'father-son bonding.' Connor was against it," my mother says with a faint smile, as she holds me up a little. " Your hurt. Your face," my mother tells me. " Good observation mother," I say sarcastically. " Is everyone okay?" David asks my mother and I. " Were fine," I say, as my mother and I walk into our house, and close the door behind us. " Oh God, Hope. Your face," Alysion tells me, concern glistening in her eyes. " I'll get the peroxide," my mother says, as she goes into the kitchen. " It's all my fault," Autumn says, as she sits on the stairs. " No it's not," I tell my sister, as I sit beside her. " We better go, Hope," David says. " Yeah, it's already 11:00. My parents are so going to murder me," Alysion tells me. " Okay. Bye guys," I tell them with a light smile, as they let themselves out. The door closes behind them. My mother, Autumn and I all sit on the couch. My cut is all cleaned up, but I flinch a little at the pain that still stings it. It's quiet. " This is fun," Autumn says sarcastically, trying to brake the ice and tension that fills the room. " A regular party," I also say sarcasitcally, chiming in with my sister. " Am I supposed to be pleased with the both of you?" my mother sharply asks us. " Autumn, no. Me, yes," I tell my mother, as I look at her in surprise. " No. I am not pleased with either of you," my mother replies sharply. " I saved Autumn and my friends," I tell my mother. " Correction. You almost got yourself killed," my mother replies. " What was I supposed to do let the werewolf enter the house and not only kill my friends, but my family too?" I ask my mother sharply, as I stare at her in shock. " You weren't supposed to be out tonight, Hope Marie Summers. You were supposed to be studying," my mother replies. I frown. " Excuse me for having some fun once in a while," I reply sharply. My mother goes to argue, but Autumn cuts in. " Can you two stop fighting?" she asks in an annoined tone. " Excuse me, young lady. You are to young to even go to clubs, and your not even aloud to go out by yourself in the daylight, and you just thought it was just fine to go out in the middle of the night?" my mother yells. " No," Autumn sharply replies, as she looks at my mother. " I'm going to bed," I say, as I stand up, and make my way up the stairs. " Hope, I'm not done talking to you," my mother tells me. " What a shame," I sarcasitcally reply. Just then, the ground shakes from beneath us. My mother immedntly wraps her arms around Autumn. " Hope, stay there!" my mother calls to me, the unseen worry in her eyes. Of coarse, let me die, but no, save precouis little Autumn. I grip unto the stair rail, and I press myself against the wall. The ground stops shaking, and I look at my mother and sister. " Wow, my first earthquake," my sister says with a smile. I see my mother's unknown emotion on her face. " It's not mine." my mother says. " So, what your saying is that the end of the world is coming?" Autumn asks, as her and I sit down at the Sunnydale High library. Autumn's school has a day off today. My school doesn't. I hate my life. Oh, I forgot life is 'my gift'. Figures. " The correct term is Apocolaypse," my father corrects, as he shows us the book. " We surely can take on one mesely Apocolaypse," I say, chewing my gum. " You'll be surprised," my father tells me. " So, I totally get to fight and kill stuff to save the world?" Autumn asks, her eyes widening with excitement. " Something like that," my father replies. " No," I state. " What?" Autumn asks, as she looks at me. " I said no. No, you are not going to fight with me during the end of the world," I tell her. " I am a slayer too," she protests. " Hope, your sister was chosen as a slayer too. She was chosen after Kat. It's her job and her-" my father begins, but I harshly cut him off. "Destiny? No. Her destiny is to cry about boys and talk about who's cute from NYSYNC or some shit like that. But just because she was chosen, doesn't mean this has to be her destiny," I harshly reply. " Then it's not your destiny either," Autumn replies. " A destiny is what we make of them, Autumn," I reply in a softer tone. " Your right, and my choice is to accept my destiny as a slayer. And just because you don't approve, that doesn't give you the right to control my life," my sister says, as she stands up and walks out of the library. Nice going, Hope. Real great. Next time, why don't you tell her ' Be good for Mommy.' I sigh.  
  
CHAPTER 17: Pain  
  
" They don't care about me, Spike," I tell the bleached blonde vampire as I kiss him softly. " Yes they do, love. They all care, they just sometimes don't show it," he replies. " Actions speak louder than words," I reply. " Exactly," he replies as he kisses me with passion. I laugh a little as he does so, and I throw my arms around him. " The mini-Buffy is the new slayer now, along with you?" he asks me, as he leans back against his chair. " Yeah, Autumn is the new slayer. And she's got all the determnation of my mother. She even looks like her too. But, she's too young to deal with this.this-" Spike cuts me off. " Pain?" he asks me. I smile faintly at him. " Pain? I bet the only pain my sister has ever felt was if she scraped her knee," I reply sharply. " Jealous, love?" Spike asks me with a playful smile. " ME jealous of Autumn?" I ask in a laughing tone. " Maybe when hell freezes over." " I think you are jealous of the mini-Buffy," he replies. " Why would I be?" I ask. " Because she has the perfect relationship with your mother, she's the spitting image of her, and she now shares the same title 'slayer' as you," he replies. I look at him. " Hope Marie Summers, you are two hours over your curfew!" my mother yells, as she flicks on the lights, and as I walk into my house at one in the morning. " I am?" I look at the clock. " Oh my God, I am." " Don't play dumb with me, young lady!" my mother yells, yet again. " God, mother. Get over it," I bluntly tell her, as I take off my leather jacket and place it on the coat rack. " Excuse me? I think you should get over Spike," my mother tells me bluntly, as she crosses her arms. I eye her. " No. I think you should so get over your need to be 'Ms. Greatest Mom Of The Year.' Newsflash, your so not," I tell her codly, as I walk up the stairs. " Your grounded!" she yells to me. " Is that a threat or a promise?" I ask angrily, as I slam my door, and lock myself in my room. " God, someone sure does have an attitude," my sister tells me, as I turn around, and realize she is sitting on my bed. " You can do me two favors. One, mind your own buisness. Two, get the hell out of my room," I tell her sharply. " Again, I repeat, someone sure does have an attitude," Autumn tells me. " Just get out," I tell her harshly. " Make me," she replies with a playful smile. " Oh, you sooo don't want to go there," I tell her with a faint smile, as I sit beside her. " You can stay, only if you promise not to annoy me." " Scout's honor," she says with a smile. " But, your not a scout," I reply. " Exactly," she says with a bright smile. As I look at my sister, I close my eyes, as I grip unto her hand, getting a flash throughout my mind:  
  
~ " C'mon slayer, who you going to choose?" a deamon asks me, as two deamons hold a sword to Autumn's neck, as just inback of me my mother is fighting for her life. " Make a decision, slayer, or both shall die." " You- You can't do this to me." I say weakily, without thinking. " I can, and I will," the deamon replies with a horrid laugh. " Hope!" I can hear my mother scream from inback of me, as a sword comes down to Autumn's neck. " NO! STOP!" I scream, as the sword just stops, inches from her neck, as my sister gulps down her tears, and stands there in shock, not taking her eyes off the sword. " Whatcha gonna do?" he asks me. Then it hits me, my gift is life. Not my life, but life to others. " Me," I reply, holding back my tears. " My life."~  
  
I breathe heavingly, and open my eyes to the worried look of my little sister. " Hope? Hope, what just happaned? Are you okay?" she asks me, panic in her voice. " Yeah.Yeah, everything's fine.everything's fine," I tell her, even though I don't think she believes me. Hell, I don't even believe myself. An hour later, I walk through the cemetary, not in search of vampires or the evils of the night, but in search of myself. I feel tears threaten to brake through my eyes, as I walk throughout the silent night. I look around, making sure no one is there. I can't even sence evil, or a presence. I can't even sence myself. I spot Kat's grave, and I stand there for a moment, then finally I let my tears release from my eyes, and I let out a cry, as I fall to my knees. " Why'd you have to leave me!?!" I yell the question to the air, as I look on at the gravestone. " I- I needed you." I look around my surrondings. " I need someone to tell me it's okay, Kat. I need someone to hold me. My parents, their too caught up with their own lives to care about me. My brother does the same. My sister, wants to jump into slaying, and I have to do protect her, but it's too hard.I need to protect myself.." I say, as I cry louder, not caring. " You died for me, ya know? My so called gift is life. How can life be my gift, when I." I pause, looking down at the scar on my wrist, and I close my eyes, as tears fall down upon the scar. " I don't even want to be alive." I hear nothing, as tears roll down my face more with every breathe. " I want out." I tell the grave, as I look at it. " I want you to be alive again." " Why couldn't you just be here with me, Kat? It should have been me!" I scream, as I punch the ground before me. Suddenly, I feel strong, musclear arms wrap around me. I suddenly stop my crying, and I look to see the face of my father. " Daddy." I say quietly, as my silent expression turns to a frown, as I begin to cry once more, but this time into my father. " It's okay, Hope. It's okay," he tells me, as he rocks me gently. I say nothing, as I cry more and more. I wanted to cry like this for so long, but I didn't. I wouldn't. He kisses my forehead lightly, as I cry. " Life is a gift, Hope. You are your mother and I's gift," he tells me, as I suddenly look up at him. " I am not a gift," I say codly. " I am a curse.a burden.a nothing." He looks at me with pain and concern, before he speaks. " No. You are a gift. A gift given to us, to help us through everything," he tells me gently. " Stop it." I say codly, as I look away from him, and I slowly stand to my feet. " Stop telling me lies!" I scream. He grabs my arm, and makes me look at him. " It's the truth," he tells me forcefully. " No." I say cunfused, as I shake my head in cunfusion. " I don't know what I'm doing anymore." " Hope!" he calls after me, as time seems to stop, as I run away from him.  
  
As I run, visions of the past flash throughout my cunfused mind..  
  
~" C'mon Hope! Dance!" Kat yells to me over the music of 'Likin Park' and people's laughter. " No, thanks. I'm not much of a dancery person," I reply with a light smile. " That's to bad," she replies with a small smile, as she places a cigarette between her lips and lights it. She suddenly turns to me, and offers me a cigarette. " Want one?" she asks me as she smokes her cigarette. " No, but if I want lung cancer or if I want to have my voice scarred and have it take seven years to go back to normal, I'll be sure to give you a call," I sarcastically tell her~  
  
I run faster.  
  
~" Here," she tells me, handing me her stake. " No, Kat. You-you need this." I reply. " Correction, you need this, Hope. I'm a slayer now.if this means one of our death, let it be mine," she tells me.~  
  
I let the tears release from my eyes, as I continue to run.  
  
~ " No.No, Kat. I-I can't let you-" she cuts me off. " Die? I couldn't let you die back at the Hellmouth, but I did," she admits. " I let you die."~  
  
I suddenly stop, realzing I let Kat die. I slowly cover my mouth with my hand, as it shakes lightly, as tears grow in my eyes.  
  
" Nooooo!" I scream to the night, as I begin to fall to my knees while crying hysterically, when suddenly my father catches me in his arms.  
  
I cry into him, as he rocks me gently.  
  
The next morning, I lye in my bed, as I feel the warm, hot sun rays of the bright sun shine down on my face. Light. Light is good, pure, happy. I'm neither anymore. Quickly, I pull the curtains over the window, making it dark in my room. " Hope." my mother says from the chair beside me, as I suddenly realize she must have slept in that chair the whole night, by my side. A blanket is over her, as I can see dried tears on her face. " Why have you been crying?" I ask her blankily. " For a person," she replies. " Who?" I ask. She frowns lightly at me, but her face remains strong. " You," she tells me. My eyes widen slightly with tears at her reply.  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 18: Dust  
  
  
  
" It's dark in here," Alysion tells me as she sits down beside me on my bed. " I know." I reply, as I don't make eye- contact with her, as I smooth out my short black skirt. " It's so dark." " Hope, what's wrong?" she asks me with concern. " Wrong?" I ask. " Nothing is wrong." " I'm your best friend, I know when something is wrong," she tells me with concern. " You do?" I begin. " That's funny, Alysion, because things haven't been right since before Kat died." She pushes a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, as she now looks at me. " You won't even look at me or David anymore. You've been shutting us out, just because things haven't been going so sunshiney for you," she tells me sharply. " Excuse me? I don't know what your talking about." I say, as I now stand up, arms crossed, as I now look away from her, trying to sort this out. She quickly turns me around. " Listen to me, Hope," she tells me forcefully but with pure concern. " Why? Why should I listen to you, when you won't even listen to me?" I ask her, with tears glistening in my eyes. " Because, you need to listen to someone!" she yells. " Why are you attacking me?" I ask her, feeling the tears threatning to release. " I'm not attacking, I'm trying to help you," she tells me, her voice softer. " I haft to go." I tell her, as I run down the stairs, with Alysion running right after me. I make my way to the door, but I see that David is blocking my way with my father, for they are talking. " Hope, listen!" Alysion yells after me. " What's going on?" Autumn asks us, as she looks up from her book, alarmed. I briefly look at her, as I now realize that my parents, Connor, and David are now watching and wondering. " Oh God." I say, as I see all their faces. " Please, just leave me alone." " What's going on?" my mother asks. " Hope. She won't listen to me about Kat's death," she tells my mother. " And about her life." " Hope, it wasen't your fault. How many times do we-" my mother begins, but I sharply cut her off. " How many times do we what? Need to say that it waesn't my fault? Oh God, mother, Don't you understand? I LET Kat die." I state. Connor walks half-way up to me. " Hope, calm down." he tells me. I look at my brother with anger and tears. " Cut the 'concerned brother' shit. You don't even want to talk to me anymore. I get the picture. So don't you dare tell me to calm down," I tell him firmly. " Hope, that isn't true," he replies. " It is true, Connor. It is true," I reply blankily. " Hope, you know we all love you," my father says. " No, I don't know. And francually, I don't care," I state. " What's with the suitcase?" Spike asks me, from behind, as he slides his hand around my waist, and kisses my shoulder gently. " I'm." I begin to say, as I smile lightly at him. " I'm running away." He nearly chokes. " Your really your mother's daughter," he tells me, as he sits down beside me, under a tree in the cemetary. " What do you mean?" I ask, as I now face him. " Your mother ran away for the whole summer once," he tells me. " Back when she was in highschool." " MY mother ran away? No way. My mom is the ' you can't walk by yourself anywhere' type," I say. " Why you running away, love?" he asks me, concern shining in his un-dead eyes. I look down before speaking, as I then look up at my lover with tears in my eyes. " Life." I whisper. " Life is my gift, ya know? I don't want it. Life isn't a gift. It's a burden. A curse. Just like me." " Not true, love. Your not a burden nor a curse, your a gift. My gift," he says with a smile, as he kisses me softly. I close my eyes as I kiss him, trying to forget. Just then as we kiss, smoke comes off of Spike. All of a sudden, the kiss is broken, and Spike jumps up, his shirt burned now, with white smoke flowing off of it. I then quickly look to see in back of him, David is standing there with a now empty bottle of holywater. " Bloody hell!" Spike yells. " Ahaha! I knew you were a vampire," David states with a grin. I now stand up. " David, what are you doing here?" I ask him, as I stand a little bit infront of Spike. " I came here to take you back home. Everyone's out looking for you," David replies. " Good for them. Now please leave me alone," I tell him sharply. " You really excpect me to leave you with a vampire?" David asks, as he flashes me a sarcastic grin. " I think not." " David, just go. It's better off if you just leave us alone," I reply. " No, Hope. I'm not going anywhere," David tells me, his usual bright and quirky face, turning to a serouis, non-understanding face. " I'm with the slayer. Bugger off," Spike tells David, as he brushes off the leafs on his cape. " Hope! Hope, where are you!?!" I hear my family and Alysion's varouis voices call for my name in the background. " She's over here!" David calls back. With my slayer-sense hearing, I can hear they are coming this way. " Thanks a lot, David," I tell him sharply, as I grab my bag, and put it around my shoulders. " C'mon, Spike," I tell my lover, as I begin to walk away with him. " Where are you going?" David asks me. I sharply turn around. " Away from you and them," I tell him forcefully, as I turn back around with Spike. Just then, someone tackles Spike from behind, and I realize it is my father. " Daddy, no!" I yell, as the two begin to fight. " Watch out!" I yell to my family and friends as vampires launch at us. I release my stake. Just then, my mother and Spike begin to fight. Spike hits her hard in the face, causing my mother to fall to the ground. He kneels down to bite her, and times seems to stop. " NO!" I scream, as I run towards my lover, and tackle him in the back, my stake  
  
"accidently" ramming through his heart. We go crashing to the ground, as I lock eyes with him, as tears fill my shock-filled eyes, as I release the stake, and he turns to dust. It's quiet. " Hope." my father is the first to speak. My eyes are wide with tears, as I drop my stake to the ground. Without warning, I drop to my knees, not saying a word. Take me away from this. I want to be lost in my own mind. Please. Please. Please. Take me away.Away from my life.Away from my family and friends.Away from the world.Away from myself.Away from all that is real. Away from my sanity. All of a sudden, everything around me goes white, and something clicks in my mind, as my body stays absolutely still in shock. I am now lost in my mind. CHAPTER 19: Insanity  
  
  
  
" Hope! Hope, wake up!" Buffy yells to her motionless daughter. " What's wrong with her?" Autumn asks out load.  
  
" I know exactly what is wrong with her," Buffy replies. " And I know how to get her back." Where am I? I remember now. I killed my lover. I killed my fellow slayer and friend. I killed everyone who is close to me. I killed my mother. I killed my father. I killed my sister. I killed my brother. I killed my friends. I killed my aunt. I killed myself. " Hope," I hear a farmiliar voice say. No, I like it in here. I like my mind. Just then, a tall, young looking blonde woman appears before me. " Hope," she tells me gently. Mother. " I killed you," I say blankily, as my clothes turn to a long, black dress. Everything around me goes black, and all I can see is my mother. She's radiant.She's so full of life. It hurts my eyes. " You hurt me." I say, as the scene changes to just my mother and I standing, watching a scene of me back when I was ten. I'm sitting alone in the corner of the schoolyard, crying. " They hurt me." " Hope.your-" I cut my mother off. " Crying?," I reply blankily, as I walk towards my childish self, and I take her hand. " Hi," I tell the minature virsion of me, back when. " Hi," the figure replies. " Wanna play?" she asks me. I smile faintly. " Your so innocent." I tell my past self, tears about to run down my frail face. I begin to cry, and instanly the scene changes to when I found Kat. My mother stands in shock, as we both watch the events unfold.  
  
~ I then stop, seeing a lifeless, not moving body in the center of the floor. I run over to the motionless body, and see that it is the body of my enemy, my friend, my fellow slayer. Kat. I kneel beside her body, and I see that she has a few bite marks on her neck. I close her eyes for her, and I stare blankily at her. It's quiet as I bury my head into her, and the only sound that can be heard throughout the building, and throughout the darkest night of my life, is the sobs that I cry. " I never got to tell you.." I begin, as I choke back a sob. " How much I cared for you.and how much you meant to me." I look away from her. " I should have been there for you.You told me to go.You sarcficed yourself for me.For me!" I yell the words. " This waesn't how it was supposed to be, Kat.You and me were supposed to be slayers together..and.and now your gone.dead.bitten by death."~  
  
" Oh God, Hope." my mother whispers to me. " It waesn't your fault though.She chose to save you." Just as quickly as I ignore my mother's words, we appear beside where Faith told me what my gift is.  
  
~ " My gift is life?" I ask in cunfusion, then suddenly I remember the dream-no vision I had in the prevouis day. " It wasn't a dream. It was a vision.A vision of the future," I say. " Future visions will be sent to you, slayer. They will help you for when the time comes. The time of choices, The time of life and death." " How can my gift be life, when in the vision it all points to death?" I ask her. " Your from two powerful beings. A former vampire, and a slayer. You have the strength of them both, but the heart of no other. Your energy is from pain. You strive on pain," she tells me.~  
  
" Your gift is life." my mother begins, as she suddenly looks at me. " So live, Hope. Come back to us.to me." I let out a deadly scream, as I launch at my mother with full speed. Before she can move, I ram into her, as the scene changes a rainy night, then we both stop moving, I am untop of my mother, and we both look over to see the scene playing out next to us.  
  
~ " Oh God," I reply, as I let go of her, and back away from her in utter shock. " Awww, is the slayer upset? Upset that everyone who she loves turns out to be hiding a deep dark secret? Well, your not exactly honest yourself, there slayer," she tells me, as she walks towards me. " No.." I quietly say, as I look at her with tears in my eyes. " You even have proof." she grabs my wrist and shows me the scar. " You're a coward." I listen to her words, and I slide down a tree, holding my head, and looking at her, completely moritfied.~  
  
My mother now looks at me.  
  
~ I drop her to the ground, as I look at her with tears burning in my eyes.  
  
" Go." I say quietly, as she looks at me with cunfusion, as she stands up. Before she has a chance to speak. " Go," I yell sharply, as she runs away from my sight. I watch her go in a daze, and I fall to my knees, and begin to cry.~  
  
" Hope." my mother begins. " NO!" I scream as tears brake through my eyes. " LET ME GO!" I scream a peircing scream, as the scene changes to.  
  
~ " Jealous?" Kat asks me from the stairs. I look away from my mother and aunt, and lock eyes with my new friend. " No.What makes you think that?" I ask. " Admit it, Hope.your so jealous," Kat replies with a smile. " I guess." I mummble. " Let's go patrolling, Hope.." Kat says, as a smile beams on her face. " No, Kat, I-" she cuts me off. " You what? Don't want to get in trouble? Oh, c'mon, Hope.you'll be lucky if your mother even notices that your gone," Kat says.~  
  
" You were jealous?" my mother asks me, as we stand inbetween the scenes. " Of coarse! You ONLY care about Dawn!" I yell, as I begin to run away from her. " Hope, stop! That's not true!" my mother calls, as she runs after me.  
  
Just then, the long runway, turns to a cliff, and I lunge into the deep water, as I scream, as I plunge deep down into it. Time moves slowly, as I fall and scream, and once more, time speeds up just as quickly, as my mother catches me in her arms. " I fell." I begin to say blankily. " And you caught me." " I'll always be here to catch you when you fall, Hope." my mother says, as she looks at me lovingly. " Always." As my mother says those words, something clicks once again in my mind, and I burst out crying, as I exit my mind, and back into the real world. I open my eyes to the real world..my real world. I am now in my mother's arms, crying hysterically.  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 20: I'm Just A Girl  
  
Hit. Punch. Dodge. Kick. " God, don't you vampires ever give up?" I ask the trio of vampires. " No. Not until your dead," one growls, and charges at me. I quickly jump up, and land inback of the creature, as I kick it in the back of it's head. " Didn't you hear? My gift is life," I say, as I go inback of the vampire, and stake it, turning it to nothing more but dust. I then smile wickedly at the remaining vampire. " Looks like your next," I tell her, as she growls, and backs away. " We'll meet again, slayer," she growls, as she runs away. " Sure," I say sarcastically, as I get up, and brush the remains of the staked vampire off of my new clothes. " Note to self, never go patrolling with brand new clothes," I tell myself, as I walk away, stake in my hand. Just then, I stop, hearing what sounds like fighting. I then run over to where the noises are coming from, and I stop, seeing Autumn and five vampires fighting. Only, the five vampires are holding her down, and Autumn is screaming. Shit. " Autumn!" I yell, as I quickly jump into the event, and kick one of the main vampires that is holding her down. " Hope!" Autumn yells in surprise. " How did you.?" I cut her off. " Talk, later. Stake, now!" I tell her, as I stake one of the vampires, as my sister gets to her feet and starts fighting the four remaining vampires with me. Autumn kicks the vampire's stomach, sending him into a tree, as she then releases her stake. I punch the vampire I am fighting with, knocking him down, and stakes him. Just then, I see two vampires beating up Autumn. I stake the third vampire. The vampire that is holding Autumn's hand, which has her stake in it, I stake from behind. Just then, Autumn stakes the last vampire, and smiles faintly at me, as I help her to her feet. " Yay us?" she asks me innocently. I give her a proud smile. " Yay you," I tell her, as I put an arm around her, and we walk throughout the cemetary. Ring. Ring. " Oh! Xander! Hi!" my mother says with excitement in her voice. " Who's on the phone?" Autumn asks my mother. " Your Uncle Xander," my mother says with a beaming smile. " Willow. Doesn't Willow live with them? Doesn't she like live down stairs from them? Is she there?" I ask my mother, a frown dancing on my face. " Let me ask. Um, Xander, is Willow there?? Hope wants to know," my mother says into the phone. My mother then frowns. " Hold on, Xander." my mother then turns to me. " I'm so sorry, hunny. Willow isn't available." My heart brakes just a little more. " Oh.Oh.Oh, I have to go to..um." I say, as I get up. " My room." I run up the stairs, and into my room. I then close my door, and lock it, as I blast "I'm Just A Girl" by No Doubt.  
  
~Take this pink ribbon off my eyes  
  
I'm exposed  
  
And it's no big surprise  
  
Don't you think I know  
  
Exactly where I stand  
  
This world is forcing me  
  
To hold your hand~  
  
Just then, the phone in my room rings. " Hello?" I ask, as I pick it up. " Hey Hope," Alysions says to me on the other line. " Hey, what's up?" I ask her. " Wanna Bronze it tonight?" she asks me. " Alright, sure, what time?" I ask. " I'll pick you up in ten minutes. Sound good?" she asks me. " Sounds great," I tell her as I hang up the phone with a smile. Short black dress. Knee-high black boots. Black choker. Powder Pink lipgloss. Hair, down in tight, wavy curls, geled down. Eyes perfectly coated with dark, black eyeliner and eyeshadow. Cross earrings. Leather jacket. Leather purse. I smile at myself in my stand-up mirror.  
  
~'Cause I'm just a girl, little ol' me  
  
Don't let me out of your sight  
  
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite  
  
So don't let me have any rights  
  
Oh... I've had it up to here!~  
  
Beep. Beep. " Here goes," I say to myself, as I open up my second-story window, and realize. " High. Very high," I say, as I grab unto the ledges of the window, and jump out of it, landing on the floor. Ow. " Hope! Hope, are you okay?" Alysion whispers from her car window. " Just peachy," I sarcastically say, as I stand up and get into her car, as we drive to the Bronze.  
  
~The moment that I step outside  
  
So many reasons  
  
For me to run and hide  
  
I can't do the little things  
  
I hold so dear  
  
'Cause it's all those little things That I fear~  
  
" Hey baby," a guy who looks just about my age, says to me at the bar inside of the club. " Bye." I say, as I sip my beer. " Baby." I smile seduvingly, as I sip my drink. Okay. my head hurts. No duh. Beer = Head hurting " Hope! Your drinking!" Alysion says, shocked. " What's the big shock about? Were fourteen, Alysion. This is our party age," I say, as I now face her. " Why don't you have one?" I ask her. " Can't. I'm driving. Won't. Like to be in control of stuff," she tells me bluntily. I smile lightly at her. " More for me," I tell her as I smile. " Your smiling! Yay!" Alysions yells happily. " No. My alcohlic bevrage is making me smile. And making me think that guy looks totally hot." I say. " No, that guy is totally hot," Alysions tells me with a laugh. " Oh," I reply. " So, I can't drive?" I ask her jokingly. " Unless you want to be killed by drunk driving, and have our pictures on bill boards saying ' Hope Marie Summers. Alysion Mary Jacobs. Killed by drunk driving.'" she tells me. " Pass on the whole driving deal," I say.  
  
~'Cause I'm just a girl,  
  
I'd rather not be  
  
'Cause they won't let me drive  
  
Late at night  
  
I'm just a girl~  
  
" Wooo!" I scream happily, as Alysion and I dance side-by- side. I move my head side to side as I smile, as I lift my arms up, and hold my hands together as I do so. Alysion smiles as she bangs her head lightly to the music. " This is soooo fun!" I yell, as I now dance with a guy. " Your so wasted," Alysion tells me with a worried smile. I ignore her worry-ness, and open my eyes, to see a lot of the guys staring at Alysion and I as we dance. " Maybe you guys can stare a little more!" I yell to them. Pervs.  
  
~Guess I'm some kind of freak  
  
'Cause they all sit and stare  
  
With their eyes  
  
I'm just a girl,  
  
Take a good look at me  
  
Just your typical prototype  
  
Oh... I've had it up to here!  
  
Oh... am I making myself clear?~  
  
  
  
I stop dancing, sensing a vampire near by.no vampire's near by. Over the loud music, I can somewhat hear screaming coming outside. I grab Alysion's arm, not letting her out of my sight, as we go to the back door, to only see a guy being surronded by five vampires.  
  
Party-poopers.  
  
~I'm just a girl  
  
I'm just a girl in the world...  
  
That's all that you'll let me be!~  
  
" Hey!" I yell to them, as the vampires now stop looking at their victim, and now looks at Alysion and I. " They look hungry." " Okay, I'm taking that as bad!" Alysion yells in worry, as she stands a little behind me. I grab the stake out of my pocket. " Here," I tell her. " No way, Hope," she tells me. " Take it," I tell her.  
  
She nods in agreement, as she takes the stake, as her and I now look at the un-dead creatures. " Here goes." Almost on cue, the five creatures lunge at us. I dodge out of the way, as does Alysion, as she immedntly stakes one of the vampires, only by accident. " Oh! Oh! Oh!" Alysion yells in surprise. I smile faintly at her, as I tackle one of the vampires, sending him to the ground, as I have just enough time to brake a piece of wood for a weapon. I do so. I stake the vampire, and then turn around, staking the one in back of me. Two to go. I stake the vampire who is now cornring Alysion, then I swiftly kick the remaining vampire in the side.  
  
~I'm just a girl, living in captivity  
  
Your rule of thumb  
  
Makes me worry some  
  
I'm just a girl, what's my destiny?  
  
What I've succumbed to  
  
Is making me numb  
  
I'm just a girl, my apologies  
  
What I've become is so burdensome  
  
I'm just a girl, lucky me  
  
Twiddle-dum there's no comparison~  
  
I now help Alysion up. " Good job," I tell her with a smile. " You too," she replies, as she hands me back my stake, as I give it back to her. " No, you keep it," I reply. " I couldn't. Could I?" she asks innocently. " You could," I tell her with a smile. " Go back inside, Alys. I'll finish up out here," I tell her. She agrees, and goes back inside the Bronze, as I turn back to the guy, still on the ground in a slight shock. I help him to his feet, as I flash him a weak smile. " You okay?" I ask him. He nods slowly, as he goes to speak. " How did you do that!?!" he asks me. " Powerful secrets," I tell him sarcastically, only with a slight truth, as I begin to walk away from him. " But.But your just a girl," he tells me in surprise. I smile weakily, as I look back at him. " That's what I keep saying," I reply, as I walk back into the club.  
  
~Oh... I've had it up to!  
  
Oh... I've had it up to!  
  
Oh... I've had it up to here.~  
  
CHAPTER 21: Relazations  
  
" HOPE! ARE YOU DONE IN THERE YET!?!" Autumn yells from infront of the bathroom door. " ALMOST!" I yell back, as I miss my eyelash, and my mascara hits my face instead. " Damnit, Autumn." Twenty minutes pass, and I am still in the bathroom, admiring myself. Without warning, the bathroom door comes crashing down, almost hitting me, as I scream as it crashes as it hits the bathroom tile. I look in the doorway, to only see Autumn looking innocent and a little shocked. " Opps. Forgot about the whole 'super human strenth' thing," she tells me innocently. " What's going on in." my mother stops, seeing the bathroom door. My dad comes up behind her, and looks at Autumn and I angrily. " WHO BROKE THE DOOR!?!" my father yells. Autumn and I lock eyes. " AUTUMN!" I yell. " HOPE!" Autumn yells. Damnit, we said it at the same time. My father then looks at Autumn giving her innocent 'angel smile', and then back to me, giving a disgusted look. " HOPE! YOUR GROUNDED!" my father screams, as he storms away from us with my mother right beside him. Autumn laughs, and sticks her tounge out at me. " OoOoO! You got in trouble!" she says playfully, as I look at her with digust and a little hint of hate, as I squint my eyes evily at her, and cross my arms, as I grab her from behind, and put her in a light headlock. " Correction. You're the one in trouble," I say playfully. " MOM! HOPE'S HURTING ME!" Autumn screams. " HOPE!" my mother yells from down stairs, as I let my sister go. I roll my eyes. " What's bothering you that your so upset about, Giles?" I ask him, as I sit on his couch. " This. Read this propechy," he tells me, as he sits across from me, and cleans his glasses. " Okay," I say with a faint smile, as I read it aloud. " On the coming day of the day of the end, one will be chosen to end the life. The slayer will haft to protect the one who wills it all. The one who she loves. The one who she needs. The one who is her sister." I stop reading, and lock eyes with him. " Autumn? I have to protect her? I don't understand." " It's not for you to understand, it is for you to carry out," he tells me. I enter my house, to see my whole family sitting there crying and looking upset. " What happaned? Autumn, is she okay?" I ask, concerned. " I'm fine," my sister says from the stairs. " Then what's wrong?" I ask. " You haven't heard?" Connor asks me. " No. I haven't. Please tell me why everyone is so upset." I plead. Just then, my father comes up to me. " Willow." he begins. " There was a car crash.She..She's dead." My eyes go wide at his words, and my heart skips a beat. " How?" is all I can ask. " She was making a special visit." my mother begins. " To see you," Autumn harshly says. " It was supposed to be a surprise." No. No. First, Rick. Then, Kat. Then, Spike. Now, Willow. Two loves. Now two friends. No. I take a breathe, as my father wraps his arms around me. " Oh God." I say silently, as tears burn my eyes. No. No. " NO!" I scream, as without warning, I push my father away, and run out the front door, as it begins to rain. Rain pours down my face, but I know that it's really my tears. I stop, seeing David's house. I immedntly knock on the door. David's parents are out. I hope he isn't. I need somebody. I need him. David answers the door, his shirt is off as his gold cross hangs down around his neck. " Hope, what's wrong?." he asks, as I frown and let out a sob, as I colapse in his arms. He holds me in his arms, as he closes the door, and he brings to the couch. I cry hysterically into his arms as he rocks me gently. " It's okay.It's okay.." he tells me softly, as he makes me face him, as we lock eyes, as he kisses me gently. I kiss him back. It rains harder, as we kiss, each kiss filled with more greive, power, love, hate, life, passion and death. Tears fall from my face as we kiss, knowing that I am only doing this because he is here. And I need to feel alive. Or, am I already dead? I wrap my arms around him, as we continue to kiss. Then, it hits me. I strive on pain. And if there was no pain in my life, there would be no strength for me.no energy.no life. I can't get close to anybody, without them getting hurt..or even dieing. I am the reason why Willow died. Why Kat died. Why Rick died. Why Spike died. I am a curse. A burden. A hex. I open my eyes, and slightly push David back in relization. " What's wrong?" he asks me, a little surprised. " I-I haft to go." I say, cunfused, as I stand up, and run out the front door. I haft to go. Go somewhere far away from here. Far away from everyone and everybody. Far away from my past.  
  
CHAPTER 22: Loosing  
  
" What's your name?" a waitress asks me at the same diner that my mother ran away to in Los Angelus, for that is the only place in LA I know to go. " Marie," I say, deciding to do what my mother did when she ran away, to use my middle name as my 'real name'. " Well, there, little darling.You want a job you said?" she asks me, as she snaps her gum. " Um. Yeah," I say with a slight hesitation, as she smiles. " It's your lucky day, kid. You got one. Oh, by the way, my name's Sharon," she tells me. " Thank you.." I say, as I turn around to head back. " Hey Marie!" she yells to me. " Yeah?" I say, as I turn around, to face her. " You need a place to stay?" she asks. " Kind of,," I say with a faint smile.  
  
" Now, here's your key. You have to get up at six every morning, and lock up at night. Sound good, kid?" Sharon asks me with a light smile, as she hands me my uniform and my key. " Sounds great," I say, she leaves, and closes the door behind her. I then look around my new home. I frown lightly, as I drop my suitcase to the floor, and take out the picture of my family, as I sit on my bed. Mom. Dad. Connor. Autumn. I let out a sob, as the picture goes sliding out of my hands and goes crashing unto the floor, as I bury my head in my hands, as gentle sobs shake throughout my body, and tears run down my face. " She just ran out?" Angel asks David, as David sits in their living room. " Yeah. We were-" he cuts himself off, and looks at the faces of Hope's family. " We were, what?" Buffy asks him, crossing her arms lightly. Before David can speak, Autumn chimes in. " They were making out!" she yells playfully. Just then, both Buffy and Angel look at David. " You were?" Connor says in disgust, as he shakes off the thought. " We don't have time to discuss what Hope and David were doing. We need to figure out where Hope is." Buffy says deamandignly. " Where would she go?" Angel asks. " Hey, Mom. If you were to run away at Hope's age, where would you go?" Autumn asks innocently. Buffy suddenly looks up in relizaiton. Outside of my window, I could hear screaming. I yawned, and rolled over on my side, to look at the clock. Two am. I then realize the screaming is getting louder, and I am gratefull that I slept in my clothes, and grab the stake from my night table, and I open up my window, grabbing unto the firescape, and swinging myself down to where the event is happening. I then see three vampires about to feed on a young girl all at once. " Hey!" I yell to them, as the creatures suddenly look up at me, fangs released. " Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interupting something?" I ask sarcastically, as I release my stake. " You see this, stake? In about five seconds I'm going to ram it into your heart.Which, sucks for you. Only you won't be doing any of that whole sucking stuff tonight.or ever." " She's a slayer!" one yells. " Good observation," I say sarcastically. " I would love to kill a slayer. Let's get her!" the other yells, as they drop the girl. " 'Let's get her'. Can't you guys think of any other lines?" I say, as I kick one of the vampires in his head sending him backwards, as the girl runs away. Fine, leave me all alone. God, do I hate being the chosen one. Just then, the second vampire grabs me from behind, and holds me down, as I struggle to get free. Like that, one holds my feet down, and the third holds my arms. The one who is holding my arms releases his fangs, and goes closer to my neck, and goes in to bite my frail flesh. I close my eyes, not caring at this point, as I relaxe myself, ready to be bitten by death. Life isn't a gift. It's my gift. And I don't want it anymore. His fangs puncture my neck, and he sucks a little, as he goes for more, I close my eyes harder, feeling pain. Without warning, the biting stops, and I suddenly feel silence, and the only sound that can be heard is a vampire being staked. I open my eyes. I then see my mother holding a stake, looking at me with concern, dissapointment, and sadness all at once. " Mom." I say lightly, as I hold my neck, and I slowly get to my feet, then seeing Connor, Autumn, Angel and David. I fall slightly, as my mother grabs unto me for support. " Are you okay?" she serouisly asks me. " Yeah, I'm fine, Are you?." I say, as I frown. " Not sure. Willow was my best friend." she begins, letting her tears glisten in her eyes. " Are you sure your okay?" she asks me. " Yes, fine." I reply. " No, Hope. I mean mentally okay. Because, no body in their right mind would let themselves be bitten by a vampire, for God's sake!" my mother yells. Horror fills my face. " You- you saw.?" I ask, mortified. " Yes, Hope. We all saw," she tells me with tears slightly glistening in her eyes. " I don't know what to say." I begin. " That makes two of us," my mother says with anger. " What were you thinking, Hope!?!" my father yells, as I now sit back in Sunnydale. Back in my house, back being yelled at by my parents. " I wasen't," I say blankily. " Exactly!" my mother chimes in with anger and dissapointment. " Oh, Mom. I guess that excuses you for doing the same thing I did. You ran away!" I yell to her. She looks at me hurt. " No, Hope. It waesn't the same. It was quite the oppisite. I didn't let a vampire bite me. I thought," she tells strongly. " Yay you," I say angrily and sarcastically, as I get out of the chair. " Running away again?" Autumn asks me sarcastically. " Shutup, Autumn. I don't need this!" I yell to her. " What do you need then?" Connor asks me forcefully. I look away, not answering.  
  
Willow Rosenberg 1972-2002 Beloaved Daughter..Devoated Friend  
  
I read the words over and over again, trying to make sense of this tragedy. The priest reads the sermen, as I watch Willow's few family brake down in tears. My mother buries her face in my father's arm, and Xander and Anya look away. Aunt Dawn is crying and so is Autumn, as my father and brother are watching solemly. I feel hot tears peirce my eyes, as I watch as Willow's coffin goes down into the earth. I don't cry. I just watch in a daze. The hot water from the shower hits my frail skin, and I feel alive. I know that the water is hot, and that is a feeling, a emotion. " HOPE! I NEED TO USE THE BATHROOM!" Connor yells from outside of the bathroom door. God, everytime I get in this damn bathroom. " You're a boy! Go pee in the woods!" I yell back to him. " GET OUT!" he screams. " OR I'LL KNOCK THE DOOR DOWN.AND YOU'LL GET BLAMED." I then step out of the bathroom in a pink towel, and immedntly, I go into my room. After I get dressed in my satin pajames, I then sit on my bed, in the dark, trying to understand why death is such a big part of my life. Rick. Kat. Spike. Willow. All four died because of me. Rick, I staked him. Kat, she sacrficed herself for me. Spike, I accidently staked him. Willow, she came and died because of me. " You okay?" Autumn asks me from my doorway. I look up at her. " I." I let my tears run down my pained face. " I'm not okay." My sister now sits beside me, and wraps her arm around my shoulders, as I let out a sob, as I begin to cry hysterically. If life is my gift, then helcome all I cause is death?  
  
CHAPTER 23: Just A Day  
  
" All I need is you." I tell David as he smiles, as we dance on the Bronze dancefloor, as heavy metal music plays as I kiss him and wrap my arms around him as we dance. Everything is spinning around me, and I think I had too much to drink, but I can't even decide if I did or didn't. I'm banging my head and laughing out of control, as if I'm straight out of an instution. Alysion is telling me in the background to stop, and that all I'm doing is making myself more upset. Maybe she's right, but I don't care anymore. I stumble through the front doors of my house at about 2 am, and I'm laughing hysterically, as Alysion and David are carrying me into my house quietly, so my parents don't hear. Just then, the lights come on, and I then see my parents standing there looking very angry. " Uht-oh," I giggle. Sun rays hurt my eyes, as I roll over, and by accident, land on the floor of my bedroom. All I remember from last night, is that I went to the Bronze with Alysion and David, and David and I were kissing.and then they dragged me home, and I got.grounded? All I know, is that my head is throbing, and I think I have a hangover. " 2 months, huh?" Connor asks me. " 2 months?" I ask, cunfused. " Yeah, Mom and Dad grounded you for 2 months," he informs, as my jaw practically drops. " Don't worry, once, I got 4 months," he tells me, as he walks away. 2 months? 2 whole months? That's torture. That's evil. That's hell. That's. My head hurts. "I thought you were grounded?" Alysion asks me at her house, as I lye down in her bed, as she sits at her desk. " I am," I reply lightly, as I chew my gum. " You snuck out?" Alysion asks, shocked. " Why are you so shocked, Alys?" I ask her. " Because.You can so get grounded more for that," she tells me. " No shit," I tell her sharply. " What's up with you?" she asks me in a small voice. " What's up with me? Excuse me, but I staked my boyfriend, and Willow died because of me!" I yell now. I bite my lip. " Willow didn't die because of you." she begins. " And Spike.You-you didn't know." " NO, Alysion! I knew! I knew! I-I knew I was killing him.and I wanted to.I wanted to kill him." I say in a whisper, as I hold back my tears. " I wanted to kill him, because he wanted to kill my mother. I.I couldn't let him to that." " Exactly, Hope. You did it for others.Always for others. That's why you were picked as the slayer," Alysion says with a faint smile of hope. " Exactly. Slayer, as in murderer," I say with tears in my eyes. " Fits me perfectly." The brunette vampire infront of me kicks me hard in my leg, as I go down for a moment, and I block her punch with one arm, as I get up and punch her straight in her face, as she goes down. She growls, and before I can stake her, she leaps up and kicks me hard in my stomach, sending me backwards. Instanly, I get to my feet before she can even blink, and I dodge her hit to my jaw, and I flip up landing inback of her, as I release my stake and stake her in her heart, turning her to nothing but dust. Serves her right. Un-dead bitch.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 24: Crash  
  
" Mom! Can I go with Connor and Hope to the grocery store?" Autumn asks my mother, as she smiles innocently at her. " Sure, hunny. Wait. Hope's going? She's grounded," my mother states, as I turn swiftly around from the rain, and with a pure look of innocence. " Awww, Mom! It's just the grocery store! And I won't even touch a single can of Diet Coke! Pllleeeaassseee!" I whine. " Fine," my mother says with a sigh. " Yes! Thank you!" I kiss my mother on the cheek, as my brother and my sister and I all head out to my brother's car. I hop in the front with Connor, and Autumn goes in the back. Music is blasting, as my brother drives. Thunder cracks down, as a truck goes right for us. " CONNOR WATCH OUT!" my sister screams, as Connor immedntly steers the car to the left. Immedntly, I realize that there is a hill, and if we go over.. " Autumn, get down!" Without warning and with pure instinct I yell the words, as the car swirfs to the left, to block the incoming truck, and I can hear my sister and my brother screaming as time seems to stop as we fall. I'm to paralized with fear to scream or cry. Time speeds up once again, and all I hear is. Crash. Everything goes black for a slight moment, as I know that I have to check on my siblings. I faintly open my eyes, and groggily get up, as I see my arm bleeding, and I can feel blood rushing off of my face. I first see my brother, who is bleeding on his face, but he seems to be fairly okay. I then turn my head to only see Autumn in tears, a gash on her cheek, and a cut on her leg. " Is everyone okay?" I ask in instict. " Yeah, are you?" Connor asks me. " I.I guess," I blantily say, as I turn to my sister. " Are you alright?" I ask her in concern. " Yeah.I guess," she says. I lift my hand up, and I see a greasy type of oil on it, I smell it in suspiscion, and then in horror I look to see above the hill what seems like a girl holding a match. I then realize the whole car is filled with gasoline. It was a setup. " RUN!" I scream, as I grab my sister and my brother with all my strength and I immedntly run with them away from the car, and just like that, the car is blown up, and my brother, sister and I all go to the floor from the impact. Just then, I open my eyes to hear my sister screaming. I look ahead and see her being taken by the girl and I fight to get up through the now striking pain in my leg, as tears tare at my eyes. " Autumn.NO!" I scream as tears begin to brake through and run down my face, as I weakily run towards them, but as I do, I realize they are out of my sight. " Give her back!" I yell weakily, as I feel myself dropping to the ground. " Give my sister back.." I whisper the words, as I brake down and begin to cry. " We have to get her back," I say in determation as I now am going through my weapon trunk, in my house. " Hope, you have to tell me exactly what happaned." my mother begins. " Fine," I say, as I now look at my mother. " Rain. Car crash. Gasoline. Match. Car go boom. Girl grabs Autumn. Bye Autumn." " A girl?" Dawn asks, as her and my mother look at each other for a moment, with fear and memory shining in their eyes. " What did the girl look like?" my mother asks. " Tall. Blonde hair," Connor answers for me. " Glory," my mother and my aunt say at the same time, as it suddenly becomes quiet. " Glory?" I ask in cunfusion. " You know her?" I ask. " We know her alright." my mother says. They tell me about. Dawn being The Key. My mother dieing for her. How my mother's gift was death. And how she was resrected. They also told me about Grandma Joyce. " Sounds like you both went through so much." I say quietly to my mother and my aunt. " We did," my mother said. " But we got through it," my aunt adds. " .How?." I ask almost in a whisper, as my weakness shines through. " We had each other," my mother begins, as she places my hand in hers. " And hope." I smile weakily. " What do you want with me?" Autumn asks Glory and the one called The Master who is sitting beside her. " Oh, my dear, dear, girl..We don't want you," The Master replies. " Then who do you want?" Autumn forcefully asks. " Your sister," Glory says, as she walks beside Autumn, and runs her hand along her cheek. " Your simply the bait." " So why is Glory back here?" my mother asks Alysion as she flips through a book of phrophices. " Yeah, I thought we sent the hell bitch back to hell," Dawn says, as she pulls a strand of her brunette hair behind her ear. " I think I found something," Alysion says, as we all now look at her. " Tell," Connor says, as he crosses his arms beside my father. " Okay. It says here that the almighty hell God, Glory, will come for a second time to Earth, to get revenge on those who sent her back. It also says that she will relive her past with another at her side." Alysion says, as she looks up from the book. " Another?" my father asks. " Relive? What does that mean?" David asks. " Oh no." my mother says with a slight gasp of relization. " What is it?" my father asks my mother who looks like she might cry or scream. "Relive everything. Me. Dawn. The Key. The portal. Me dieing.Everything.she'll make everything happen all over again," my mother replies. " But it doesn't make sense if she took Autumn," I reply in cunfusion. " Yes it does," Dawn says. " How?" I ask, still cunfused. " You're the slayer. Autumn is your sister. She thinks your me." my mother begins, but Dawn cuts her off. " And Autumn is me." I gasp. I sit beside the fire back in the dessert, waiting for Faith to come just once more. " You again?" she asks as I see the figure on the other side of the fire once more. " Yes. Faith. I need to know what my sister's gift is. Every slayer has a gift. What's hers?" I ask. " Love. Your sister's gift is love," she replies. " Love?" I ask in cunfusion. " Yes, Love. Love is Autumn's gift," she tells me. " I need to go back!" Glory screams, as she turns to The Master. " That's why I brought you back." " Patience, my dear. Patitence. The slayer will come for her sister. They always come for the ones they love," he growls. " Love." Glory begins, as she looks at Autumn. " What's so special about it that makes you pathetic humans do things?" she asks. " It's a gift," Autumn replies. " That only few can share." " Love. It's a pathetic emotion that's no use. It's nothing but pain." Glory says. " How would you know what love is? Or what pain is? You're a God. You can't feel.You can't do anything but reign your little terror deal and go on your merry way," Autumn sharply says. " Wow. That actually hurt my feelings," Glory replies as she growls at her. " Let her go, hell bitch!" I scream, as I kick down Glory's door to only find her holding my sister by her neck.  
  
" OoooOooo.Company," she says, as she drops my sister to the ground. " Glory, listen to me. Hope isn't me. Autumn isn't The Key.We went through this before." my mother tells her. " And we totally kicked your ass." Before Glory can say anything, the one called 'The Master', grabs Autumn and escapes with her to the back. " Start the ceremony now!" he yells, as I run towards my sister, but monks block my way. " The Master?" my mother says. " He's back? How is the possiable?" Angel asks. " We don't have time to think about that. Let's just kick their ass all over again," Dawn says. " Sounds like a plan," Connor says. I then spot everybody fighting off them, but I try to get free from the monk's grip, but I can't. I then realize something. This is nothing like the visions. I don't understand. If they weren't real.then helcome they were sent to me?  
  
CHAPTER 25: The Greatest Gift  
  
" Autumn!" I scream, as I beat the monks out of my way, and I run after my sister. As I run I don't seem to understand any of this. I am not my mother. Autumn is not Dawn. They won't open any damn portal to hell.they'll just kill Autumn. " Stop!" I scream, as suddenly The Master turns. " You can't save your precouis little sister , or your mother." he growls, as he points to my mother who is hanging by a thread. " I'll make a choice." I say. " What kind?" he growls. " Lives." I say. " A life for a life." I say. He growls in agreement. " C'mon slayer, who you going to choose?" a deamon asks me, as two deamons hold a sword to Autumn's neck, as just inback of me my mother is fighting for her life. " Make a decision, slayer, or both shall die." " You- You can't do this to me." I say weakily, without thinking. " I can, and I will," the deamon replies with a horrid laugh. " Hope!" I can hear my mother scream from inback of me, as a sword comes down to Autumn's neck. " NO! STOP!" I scream, as the sword just stops, inches from her neck, as my sister gulps down her tears, and stands there in shock, not taking her eyes off the sword. " Whatcha gonna do?" he asks me. Then it hits me, my gift is life. Not my life, but life to others. " Me," I reply, holding back my tears. " My life." " What?" he asks in anger. " You see, Autumn is not The Key. You just need Summer's blood to open the portal.I understand everything now. Take me. Take my life," I say blankily, as a smile crosses his lips, revealing his fangs. " I'd get to kill a slayer." he says in pleassure, as he throws my sister roughly to the ground, as he grabs me and takes me up. I can hear screams as he misses my stomach and cuts my arm, as blood spills to the ground, opening the portal. Just then, The Master falls down to the hard group lifeless, and I then see the face of my sister. I realize she killed him, and that the Master, was just a hologram of the orginal. " Autumn.I haft to go and stop it.." I tell her. " Like Mom did for Dawn.It's the only way." " Hope, no.No, Don't go!" Autumn yells to me, as I stand infront of the cracking earth. " I-I haft to go, Autumn." I say to my sister with a light frown as I look at her with tears in my eyes. " Please. I'll be better, I swear." she says with tears starting to run down her face. " My gift is life, Autumn. And life is what I shall bring to you, mom, dad, Connor, and the whole world," I say to her. " No, you're part of my life.you're my sister," Autumn says as she begins to brake down and cry. " Autumn.Remember, that I love you. I love you so much. I shall bring you all life on this planet, and please, please, treasure this gift I'm giving you and everyone. the gift of life," I tell her. I feel tears thretean my own eyes. I run to jump, but suddenly an arm grabs me. " What do you think your doing?" my mother asks me in shock, as she turns me around to face her. " I haft to jump," I tell her. " No. No, Hope.I can't let you," she tells me. " The Key," I hear someone say from bellow, who must be a munk. " The Key will set us free." Immedntly, my mother, my sister and I all look at each other as we realize that Dawn is running towards the portal. " Dawn!" my mother screams with sadness. Time freezes, as I suddenly see my mother's concern for her and the love she really shares with her. The need, the hope, the trust, the love. I realize what I must do. Time now goes in slow motion, as I run towards Dawn as she prepares to jump. " NO!" I can hear myself scream, as I push her out of the way, as she lands against the tip of it, as I now face the energy. I can hear my family screaming to me, and my mother helping my aunt up.  
  
~" Your gift is life. And in life there is pain and there is happiness. There is two sides. Death and Life. One supports the other, but together they are unstoppable," she says, as she dissapers into the fire.~  
  
I suddenly stop, and turn to my mother. My mother's gift is death. My gift is life.  
  
  
  
"One supports the other, but together they are unstoppable."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I realize everything now. It's not a sarfice that must be made. The portal will and can be stopped by love. Love is Autumn's gift. They also said that The Key will set us free. Wait.that would mean that my mother, Dawn, Autumn and I all need need to stop this portal? But how? There's no time to think. The portal is getting better. I remember what my mother had told me.  
  
" It's always blood."  
  
  
  
I then see my mother, my aunt, and my sister by my side now, and I grab the knife from which The Master cut me. " What are you-" before my sister can finish I begin to speak. " No time. Just trust me," I tell her, as I place the knife to her skin and cut it, as she flinches back, and then my mother and my aunt. " It's always tblood," I tell them. " Our blood together can stop this. Love. Life. The Key. Death. Summer's blood." They understand now. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. With each drip there is a slight beam of light, but with the last drip of my blood, of Life's blood, it glows together, and for a moment it shines so blightly it's blinding. In an instant, the portal is no more. And it's quiet. We just saved the world. We just brought the gift of life into the world once more. Life. It's a gift. It's my gift.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 26: Naked  
  
~I wake up in the morning  
  
Put on my face  
  
The one that's gonna get me  
  
Through another day  
  
Doesn't really matter  
  
How I feel inside  
  
'Cause life is like a game sometimes~  
  
  
  
The bright sun shines down upon me through my window, as I open my eyes. I events of the prevouis night flashes through my mind, on how my family and I saved the world. I get out of my bed, and I put on my make-up. As I do so, I see the scar on my arm from last night.  
  
" It's always blood."  
  
I was right. It's always blood. I smile sadly seeing the scar on my wrist that I made a year ago out of anger and frustration. I know I'm supposed to feel alive and happy. I mean, I saved the world, right? I should be jumping for joy and laughing and crying tears of joy. Instead, I'm crying tears of pain.  
  
~But then you came around me  
  
The walls just disappeared  
  
Nothing to surround me  
  
And keep me from my fears  
  
I'm unprotected  
  
See how I've opened up  
  
Oh, you've made me trust~  
  
  
  
I now am in David's arms, feeling some sort of emotion.I think it's love. I'm not sure how love feels anymore. " What's wrong?" he asks me, as I suddenly look up at him. " Nothing." I say as I look away from him quickly, to hide the lie in my eyes. " Yes, there is, Hope. I know you.what's wrong?" he asks me gently, as he strokes my hair. I'm quiet, because he can see right through me.  
  
  
  
~Because I've never felt like this before  
  
I'm naked  
  
Around you  
  
Does it show?  
  
You see right through me  
  
And I can't hide  
  
I'm naked  
  
Around you  
  
And it feels so right~  
  
I tell him everything. About how I feel dead inside..about how when I died it was the first real time I actually felt alive. How I most of the time I cry myself to sleep. And how I love him so much. He's kissing me now, and telling me it's okay, and that sometimes let other's play the hero. " I-I can't do that. I didn't chose to be the hero, David. It's my destiny.my job." I tell him, as he strokes my hair gently. " I know. I know. But, it's killing you, Hope," he replies, concern filling his voice. " Your wrong." I begin to say, as I bite my lip, as I feel tears form in my eyes. " It already killed me."  
  
  
  
~I'm trying to remember  
  
Why I was afraid  
  
To be myself and let the  
  
Covers fall away  
  
I guess I never had someone like you  
  
To help me, to help me fit  
  
In my spirit~  
  
  
  
" You were willing to jump last night?" David asks me. I nod slowly. " But.I waesn't just going to jump to save the world.I was going to jump to end your everything. To end my pain..," I tell him blankily, as I now begin to cry. " I just wish the pain would stop." I say as I cry. " Just make it stop."  
  
~I never felt like this before  
  
I'm naked  
  
Around you  
  
Does it show?  
  
You see right through me  
  
And I can't hide  
  
I'm naked  
  
Around you  
  
And it feels so right~  
  
  
  
" Does anybody else know how you feel?" David asks me. I suddenly look up at him, my face red and tear-streeked. " You can't tell them.No one can know." I tell him, panic and fear growing in my voice. " Why? Why are you so afraid of letting them know how you feel?" he asks me, cunfussion and concern in his voice. " I just..they can't know." I say, as I start to say, as I grab my bag, which is half-opened, and I begin to walk away and head for the door. " You just what, Hope?" David asks, as he now grabs my arm, as in surprise, my bag falls to the ground, revealing cigarettes. I gasp.  
  
~I'm naked  
  
Oh oh yeah  
  
Does it show?  
  
Yeah, I'm naked  
  
Oh oh, yeah yeah~  
  
  
  
" Since when do you smoke?" David asks, anger and dissapointment in his voice, as he picks up the cigarettes. " No..David." I say, as my minds rush with a million thoughts. " No, David what?" he asks me, concerned. " ..I don't..I don't know." I say in a whisper, as tears run down my face. " Hope." he says, surprisment and a little shock in his voice of how much I am crying and in pain. He wraps his arm arounds me, as I cry.  
  
  
  
~ I'm so naked around you  
  
And I can't hide  
  
You're gonna see right through, baby~  
  
  
  
I'm crying in hysterics, and all of a sudden the opening of the door brakes the moment, and all of a sudden panic rushes throughout my body. " Hope?" a farmiliar female voice says with shock and concern shining in her voice. I turn around and I see my mother and my father standing there. In that moment, as it is quiet, I now know that my life is now changed. Forever.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 27: Blood Ties  
  
" Why didn't you tell us?" my father asks me softly, as I now am sitting at home in my living room. " .You wouldn't understand." I say quietly, as I stare in a slight daze, as my sister sits beside me. For a brief moment, I analyzie all my family member's faces. Connor is sitting beside my mother, looking pale. My mother has tears in her eyes, and she looks determined. My father is sitting solemly and concerned. I then look to Autumn, who looks cunfused and looks like she's trying to understand me. Like I'm some puzzle. Maybe I am one big puzzle. I just wish somebody would figure me out. Because I can't. I need somebody's help. And I know I do. I just won't admit it. " Make us understand." my mother says, breaking my daze, as it feels like hours have passed, when not even a second has passed. " No," I reply a little harshly. " Why not?" my father asks. " We can help." " I don't need help," I reply codly, as I now eye my father with anger. " Is it that you don't need help or you just don't want help?" my father asks me. It's quiet. I watch solemly as the flame from the candle goes back and forth from the air conditioner. " Dinner!" all of a sudden I hear my mother yell from the kitchen, as I brake my daze, and I suddenly realize that an hour has passed. Was I really in a daze that long? Am I really that.that depressed? After dinner, I take a bath. I step into the hot water, and I then sit down and soak down into the liquid, as the smell of vanilla fills the room from the candles that are lit. I briefly close my eyes.  
  
" She's critical. I'm afraid that if she looses any more blood she'll face death."  
  
My eyes flash open, as those words and a voice echo's in my head. What was that? A dream? A vision? A prophecy? I step out of the water, and into my robe. I then change into my night clothes, and I then go to bed. I awake to the sound of screaming. Immedntly, I jump out of my bed, and grab my stake, and time seems to stop as I run towards the screaming. Horror and panic fills my body as I see my sister being attacked by a deamon. I can't move. Fear is over powering my body, and I can see my sister crying and screaming for me to help her. Just then, someone flicks the lights on, and I see my parents and my brother all charging at the deamon. I'm just standing there, watching the scene unfold. I'm too paralized with fear to move. " Hope! Do something!" my brother is yelling to me, and I'm just watching.  
  
The deamon then turns to nothing more than dust, and I see a weapon in my father's hand. " Call 911!" I hear my mother scream, as Connor dashes past me, as I slide down the wall. " Hope." " Hope do something." " Hope, snap out of it." " We need you." " She's critical." " Autumn? Autumn, wake up." " She's loosing blood." " Were loosing her." " Autumn, please hang on.." " Don't die." " Be strong." Those are the voices I hear varouis people say, some farmiliar some not. I can hear noises like an amblunce. And I know that I am running into something.a hospital? Everything is moving so fast. I can't stop it. Reality slaps me in the face, as I now realize that I am holding my sister's hand, and she looks so peaceful, but her body is beat up horrirably. " She's lost a lot of blood," I realize that the doctor is here, and my parents and Connor are listening intevingly. " We need blood to give her." the doctor begins. " She's critical. I'm afraid that if she looses any more blood, she'll face death." I remember now.that's the same voice and exactly what the guy said in my vision.  
  
" It's always blood."  
  
" Your made of each other. You complete each other, your sister is made of you. Your made of your sister. You complete each other as sisters and as slayers. Your blood is the same."  
  
" Me," I say, as I turn to the doctor and my family. " What?" the doctor asks me. " My blood." I say, as my family looks on at me in concern.  
  
" You might die." " Are sure your willing to make this choice, Ms. Summers?" " No.Hope.No." " I can't loose you." " So, loose Autumn instead? No. She's my sister and I love her. I haft to do this.You haft to let me go." " I love you all." " If I don't make it.Remember that I love you all so much.." " Hope, no." " I love you, Hope." " Your everything to me, Hope. You're the love of my life." " You're my best friend and I love you so much.." " I watched Autumn get attacked. I will not watch her die.." " Life is my gift.."  
  
Everything goes black.  
  
CHAPTER 28: Life Or Death?  
  
" Where am I?" I ask as I now see my sister, and I realize we are in a cemetary. " This is your destiny." my sister says, as she now faces me, as I realize she is all in black. " Of coarse it is, Autumn. It is both of our destiny's, to ya know, fight vampires and un-dead stuff." I tell her with a light smile. " I don't mean that.." Autumn then brushes off a few leafs, to reveal a tombstone. My breathing gets slow, as I realize what's written on it. Hope Marie Summers 1986 - 2002 Her gift was life.And life she gave to everyone around her. She saved the world And everyone's lives Rest In Peace  
  
" What.What is this?" I ask her. " Your gravestone. Your going to die." Autumn begins, as the moonlight shines upon her. " Unless you don't want to. It's your choice." " My choice?" I ask in a whisper. " Yes, your choice. You see, while giving your blood..the doctor's need more to save me.and it's your choice, to save me or save yourself." my sister says in a weak tone, as thunder cracks in the background. " Times almost up for you to decide." my sister says, as my tombstone then changes to Autumn's. " No.No! There must be another way." I reply, as I back up a little. " For us to both live." " I thought you didn't want to live, Hope. I thought life was just a gift that was given to you that you wanted to take back!" my sister says as anger grows in her voice, as suddenly her face changes to Faith's. " Make a choice, slayer. Either you want to die or live.Or either your little sister dies, and you live." she tells me. Suddenly, Faith's face changes to Kat's, and I feel weak in the knees. She smiles. " Either you want to live, Hope.or you want to die.or both you and Autumn dies." she then points to the almost lifeless body of Autumn, as she lyes beside her grave, and Faith is kneeling beside her. " Time's running out.Make a choice." Kat tells me. Tears build in my eyes. " My sister shall live." I say, as I kneel beside her body. " And I shall die." I touch her forehead, and a burst of light surronds the scene.  
  
Autumn opens her eyes, and her mother smiles as she embraces her, as does Angel and Connor. Just then, where Hope is sitting the line goes straight, and the doctors rush to her. " Were loosing her!" the nurse yells, as the doctor performs CPR. " Hope!" Buffy yells, as she watches as her daughter's life slips away before her very eyes. " No!" Angel yells, as Autumn turns away slowly, as does Connor. " We lost her." the doctor says, as Buffy begins to cry and buries her head in Angel's chest, who has tears in his eyes, as does Connor. Alysion and David are crying, as Autumn is walking towards her sister's lifeless body. " Her gift was life." she begins, as she touches her forehead, and begins to cry. " And life she gave."  
  
  
  
Hope Marie Summers 1986 - 2002 Her gift was life.And life she gave to everyone around her. She saved the world And everyone's lives Rest In Peace  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 29: Going Back  
  
" It's peacefull here." I see myself dressed in all white, as I see nothing but a bright light, and I feel at peace.I feel happy. Just then, the bright light turns to darkness. " No." I begin to scream the words, as I feel someone summoning me to go back to life. " Please.don't make me go." I tell the air, as I begin to cry. " Your sister she's calling upon you.You need to go .You need to finish your destiny as the slayer. Your life is not over.Your family needs you. Autumn needs you." a voice says. " Go. Go back to life." I nod slowly, as I run towards the light. My eyes open. It's dark, and I can't breathe that well, and I realize that I am still in my coffin. Panic rushes throughout my body, as I lift my arm up and crawl to the surface, and suck in the pure essence of life. It makes me sick. I walk solemly back to my house, and before I knock on the door I peek through the window. My mother is smiling and laughing, and so is my father. Connor is smiling and kissing.Alysion. Autumn is looking out the window, and for a brief moment we make eye-contact. I can feel her heart skip a beat, and she runs to the door.  
  
" Hope!" my sister says, as I dissaper from her sight. " Hope?" she asks in a small voice. " Hunny what is it?" my mother asks, as she puts a hand on her shoulder. " Hope.She was here." Autumn says blankily, as she looks at my mother. " Come back inside." my mother replies, as Autumn takes one look back and shuts the door. I am here, Autumn. I walk to David's house, and I then see him on his stoop holding a girl in his arms, and I feel tears form in my eyes. Suddenly, I turn away and run back. Back to where? I stop, cunfused. " Halloween's coming up, Autumn. Don't you want to do something special?" Dawn asks her neice with a faint smile. " Special, no. Scary, yes," she replies. " Scary? Isn't fighting vampire's scary enough, Hope?" Buffy asks her daughter, but suddenly realizes that she called her youngest daughter Autumn, by her eldest daughter's name. " I'm not, Hope, mom.. I'm Autumn," Autumn tells her mother with a frown, as she turns away lightly. ".I-I know your not ." Buffy tells her daughter. " I just miss her so much.and it's just that. that you remind me so much of her." " Halloween sucks!" Autumn says, as she fixes her hippie custom. " Were going to a cemetary to patrol. Isn't that scary?" Buffy asks her daughter. " I'm a slayer going to cemetaries is part of my routine," Autumn sarcastically replies, as Dawn walks beside her, as Angel is beside his wife. Alysion and David are standing together, as Connor is inbetween them. The six enter the cemetary, as I follow them close behind. " Singing is good for the soul." a voice echos throughout the cemetary. " Okay, come out! Your little game is over!" Buffy says demandingly. " Oh, my precouis. It is no game.Just hand over the slayer, and no one gets hurt." the voice says. " No! Your not getting Autumn!" Angel says, standing infront of his daughter. " No, not lthe hippie.the other slayer." the voice says. " Other slayer?" Alysion asks, as the group turns around. Everyone's faces are all filled with mixed emotions at the sight of me, as I make sure my face remains emotionless. " .Hope." my father is the first to speak, as tears fill her eyes. " .How.?" Dawn asks me in a small voice. Before I can answer, on the top of the stairs, a deamon faces us with a huge grin. " Oh no.Not you!" my mother says at the sight of the red deamon with the top hat on. " My darling." he says, as all of a sudden, he flicks his hand, and each one of us sits down. " I want all of you to hear my dear lady slayer, Hope to sing for us tonight." he growls. " Before she becomes my bride. Isn't that right, my dear?" he asks me, as he now is beside me, and runs his hand along my face. I frown.  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 30: Painfully True  
  
" The dark night shines down on me." I begin to sing. " It's so cold out here..all alone, all by myself." I walk slowly towards my family, but I suddenly lift my arms up. " Everybody says that they care. Yet their so unaware of the pain inside of me! Growing into something extreme! And so I will." I extend my arms out. " Carry on." I sing. " Face the deamons of myself. Face the pain. Face the torture. Face the evil." I walk face-to-face with my mother. " And you think you know all that is me." I sing, as I now walk up to my father. " Yet my true identy is unseen. The girl that is torn between two worlds. So much to do. So little time. I beg of you, answer me, why is happiness such a crime?" I say, as I fall to my knees. " Yet I try not to wish to die. Not to cry. Hiding my tears.captured in pictures over the years. The slayer. The hell. The heaven. The wish. The life. The death." I let out a painfull scream, as I get to my feet. " So I will stand alone, and face the deamons of myself." I walk slowly down the stairs. " So alone. So afraid. Just make it all stop." I say. I suddenly throw my stake unto the ground, and I twitch a little as it hits the floor. " Make it all turn to dust."  
  
" Love is what I feel for you." he replies. " Wrong. Love is what you want to feel for me, but as soon as I go 'dead girl', you go 'whore boy'," I tell him angrily, as I drop him to the ground. I try not to cry. " Hope, stop.." my sister tells me. " Stop what, Autumn? Protecting you? I'd love to, but I can't." I tell her. " Because you were made of me, and I was made of you. We complete each other, don't ya know, dear sister." I say sarcastically, as I now look at her hurt eyes, and something hurts my heart. Pain? Emotion is what people who are alive feel. Even though I am now alive, I still feel dead, but when I look at my sister, I feel. I feel like I have to protect her, that I would do anything to make sure she's safe. Just then, the scene changes to Autumn's tombstone in which she told me I had to chose. " I.I couldn't let you die, Autumn." I tell her, as I feel tears forming in my eyes. " Hope." my sister begins, but I cut her off. " If you died.I didn't.I don't think I could carry on without you." I turn to my sister. " You're the only one that keeps me alive, Autumn," I admit to her. " I-I came back for you." She looks as if she might cry, as she hugs me. " You call that a song?" the deamon says. " I came all the way back here to see this sappy stuff?" the deamon says with dissapointment. " Screw this." With a snap of his fingers, he is gone, and the windows and doors unlock. Nobody speaks. " I'm glad your back." Autumn tells me, as we sit on our front porch. " Me too." I say with a fake smile. " No your not." my sister says. " I'm sorry that I made you come back." " You didn't make me come back, Autumn. I choose to come back. Big difference," I tell her with a small smile. " Sure are 'Choice Girl' these days, huh?" Autumn asks me with a slight smile. " Yep," I reply. " 'Choice Girl' that's me." " You've made the right choice's though. Right?" Autumn asks me in a small voice. I smile lightly at her. " Right," I say, as I look at her. " We all really missed you." Autumn tells me. Sure. " That's not what I saw when I first came back. Everyone was all 'Smiles and laughs'." I tell her. " Of coarse, Hope. We were looking at picture's of your 14th birthday," my sister replies. " You were?" I ask her. " We were," she replies. 14. The year I became the slayer. " I missed you too." I tell my sister, changing the subject. " Hope, don't go 'psycho sister/slayer' on me, if I ask you this, kay?" my sister asks me with a little smile. " Continue," I reply. " When you died.Where.Where were you?" my sister asks me in a small voice. I just smile at her.  
  
CHAPTER 31: Adjusting  
  
" Nobody knew I was 'dead girl' right?" I ask Alysion as she and I walk through the halls of Sunnydale High. " Right," Alysion says, as she suddenly turns to David. " Right?" she asks him. " Right," David replies. " Okay, what's with the 'right's'?" I ask them. " Right!" Alysion says cheerfully, as I shoot her a look. " Oh, um, wrong." I smile, then frown. " Wrong? People knew!?!" I ask, as I stop sucking on my lollipop. " No! They didn't know!" Alysion says. " Right?" she turns to David. " Right!" David says. I roll my eyes. " How's 'research guy' going for ya?" I ask my father, as I now sit in the library. " Sucky. You?" he replies, as he looks at me. " Well, I've been reading up on the whole slayer mythology," I tell him with a light smile. " How's that going?" he asks me. " Um.well.I found out that slayer's kill vampires with stakes," I reply. " Hope, we already know that," my father says, eyeing me. " Um.Exactly! Good to know, thanks dad," I say, as I exit the library. " No 'big bads' lately?" Dawn asks me, as she walks with me from school. " Nope. But school was certanily a 'big bad'," I say, as I fix my sunglasses. " Oh yeah. Why so?" she asks me. " Let's see.I got a 21 on my math test, Judy Taylor told everyone that I was in drug rehab for the summer, and I got asked out by a guy," I tell her. " Oh, um.The whole asked out by a guy part doesn't sound bad," my aunt replies half-heartingly. " He has pimples," I tell her with a light frown. " Okay, bad day," she replies, as I smile faintly. " How was school?" Connor asks me, as I sit in his room. " Bad. How was college?" I ask him briefly. " Usual," he says as he shrugs his shoulders. I see my father talking to a buisness man in the other room, and I play with my compact mirror. " Which would be.?" I ask my brother, but before he can answer the mirror shines on the man and I realize that he has no reflection. " Bad!" I reply, as Connor looks at be puzzled. " No, actually it was fairly okay." he tells me. " No, Connor. Not you. That man in there talking to dad is a vampire. Vampire = bad!" I tell him, as I grab my stake. He looks at me. " Great move, sis. Gonna go up to him and go 'Hey, I'm going to kill you now'?" Connor asks me sarcastically. " To sum it up, yes!" I tell him, as I make my way to the room, my hands behind my back with my stake in them. I go to stake the vampire, but just then Autumn yells " VAMPIRE!", and the man jumps up, causing his seat to crash down beside me. " Thanks Autumn!" I tell my sister sarcastically as I jump up, the man's face changes to that of a vampire. He growls. My father launches for him, but he throws my father into the glass dresser.  
  
" Dad!" Autumn yells, as she blocks the doorway to the vampire and jumps up and hangs onto the ledge and kicks him in his stomach, causing him to fall down. Immedntly, the creature gets up, and goes to hit my sister, but I grab his hand before he can. " I don't think you want to do that." I tell the creature, as I stake him. " And that's exactly why." " Guess slayer's never get days off, huh?" Autumn asks me in the living room. " Guess not," I reply with a faint smile. A few minutes later, my father and I sit together in my bedroom. " Hope.how are you doing?" my father asks me, concern beaming off of him, as I can't help but smile kindly. " I'm just.." I smile lightly at him. " Adjusting."  
  
CHAPTER 32: Lost And Found  
  
~By the shadows of the night I go I move away from the crowded room That sea of shallow faces masked in warm regret They don't know how to feel They don't know what is lost~  
  
Solemly, I watch on the outside of my house, how in the inside my family is laughing and being so happy. The sight hurts my eyes, and I make sure I move away from the scene. Crossing my arms, I begin to walk down the block. The cool night air brushes against my skin, and I barely fill it. From behind me a vampire growls, and immedntly I turn around.  
  
~Lost in the darkness of a land Where all the hope that's offered is memories of being taken by the hand And we are led into the sun Bu I don't have a hold on what is real Though we can only try what is there to give or to believe~  
  
The vampire's face flashes for a moment to Spike's face, and I scream as I stumble backwards and unto the floor with the vampire. Horrified, I close my eyes for a split second, and open them again, to the regular face of the vampire with it's fangs released. I scream as the vampire goes to bite me, but suddenly it turns to dust, and I meet the eyes of my mother, and her hand open for me to take.  
  
~I want it all to go away I want to be alone Sympathy's wasted on my hollow shell I feel there's nothing left to fight for No reason for a cause And I can't hear your voice And I can't feel you near~  
  
Pushing my mother's hand away, I stand and put my stake back in my coat pocket. " You nearly got yourself killed." my mother says with her voice full of strength and yet sympathy. " What a loss that would be," I sarcastically tell her. " Hope.I.." my mother suddenly stops in mid-sentence, and looks at me. " I don't want to fight. Let's just go back to the house." " I want to be alone," I harshly tell her. " Yeah, you tried that, and you nearly got yourself killed!" my mother now yells. " I rather be alone than be with you." I codly tell her, and I see the hurt in my mother's eyes. I begin to walk away from her, and I faintly can hear her calling my name. I don't care.  
  
~Lost in the darkness of a land Where all the hope that's offered is Memories of being taken by the hand~  
  
I'm looking for someone.I don't know who or why. It's beginning to rain now, and I feel the cool rain drops from the sky. I miss Kat. I miss Rick. I miss Spike. I miss Willow. I wish Faith was here. I wish they were all here. They all showed me something that happens during life. Kat saved me from death, she showed me that my destiny is to live. Rick showed me death, and loss. Spike showed me love and compassion, even though he was dead outside, he wasn't dead inside. Willow showed me friendship, and a shoulder to cry on. Faith showed me my gift and my destiny.  
  
~And we are led into the sun But I don't have a hold on what is real Though we can only try What is there to give or to believe~  
  
I don't realize I am on the sidewalk, kneeling down, crying. I just wish all the pain would go away.I just wish all the hurt would go away. Can you make it go away?  
  
" How can I save the world when I can't even save myself?"  
  
The words that I never spoke but I wish to,echos in my mind, and it stings it like a bee.  
  
~I wanted a change knowing all I could do was try I was looking for someone~  
  
I notice a mirror lying on the ground, and it has a slight crack in it. I pick it up, and I see my own reflection. I finally found who I was looking for. Myself.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 33: Stronger  
  
  
  
The cool summer night air brushes against my fair skin, as I walk throughout the cemetary, a stake in my hand. Autumn is beside me, her stake in her leather jacket. My senses are on full alert, my grip on my stake stronger then ever. We stop, hearing a monstrouis growl, and I smirk as we make our way to a cript. My sister and I nod at once, as we both kick open the cript door, to only reveal eight vampires, each one feeding on people. " Oh, damn, looky here sis, no one told us that a party was going on." Autumn says. " All the more fun for crashing it," I say, as we release our stakes. " Their slayers!" one yells. " Get 'em!" the other yells, as my sister and I smile wickedly. Autumn and I jump apart as the vampires get off of their victims and charge us. Four vampires are fighting each of us at once, and I get grabbed from behind in a headlock, but I get my hand free and stake the vampire holding me, as I kick the one untop of me and stake it. Autumn releases her extra stake, and stakes the two vampires on each side of her, as she smirks at the two infront of her. Gracefully, she points the two stakes at their hearts and throws them at the vampires, and they turn to dust at once. Autumn rushes to the people lying on the floor, as I kick the two vampires infront of me, sending them into the wall. I stake the one on my right, then I go for the one on my left, but he grabs my arm, and growls as he grabs me and exposes my neck. He goes in for the kill, but I smile. " Surprise." I say, as I jump up with him, causing me to go backwards with him, as I land on my feet, and I stake him in his heart, turning him to nothing more than dust, I rush over to the people. " Is everybody okay?" I ask, as Autumn checks the victim's pulse. " Their dead, Hope." she tells me, as my eyes widen as a hand grabs Autumn by the neck, as the rest of the people rise up, fangs release. " Their fucking vampires!" I say, as I kick the vampire off of Autumn, I help Autumn to her feet, as we realize that our stakes are across the room. " What the hell are we going to do!?!" Autumn asks. " We don't need weapons to defeat them. Were slayers.." I say, as I get in a fighting stance. " Let's slay." We stand side by side in fighting stances, as the eight vampires growl, and lick their lips in hunger. Immedntly, they charge at us, and immedntly we begin to fight them. I jump back, causing me to land by the stakes. I throw Autumn her stake, as I grab mine, I stake a vampire behind me. " You're a slayer?!" one laughs, as I kick it in the jaw. " Just one of 'em.." I reply, as I stake him, and flip back. Autumn goes down and kicks two vampires, knocking them off of their balance. Instanly, she goes in to stake them, but is grabbed and thrown into the wall by a female vampire. " Autumn!" I yell, as I punch the vampire out of my way, as I run to the aid of my sister. " Get off!" I yell, as I stake the female vampire, and I help Autumn up. " Are you okay?" I ask her, but before she can answer, a vampire tackles me, causing both him and I to exit the cript and fall into a tombstone. Ow. I can faintly see Autumn fighting two vampires, as three come out for me. I wobbily get to my feet, and stake the vampire beside me, as I aim the stake for the vampire in the middle, as I throw stakes at him and the vampire that Autumn is fighting with. " Damn, she throws good." Autumn says under her breathe, as she kicks the vampire. I look at the two infront of me and I smile. " Why don't you guys just give up? I mean, your going to be dust anyway." I say with a smirk. I kick the vampire infront of me, as I elbow him in the chest, and he grabs me, as I kick the other vampire, sending him backwards, as I push myself backwards, sending the vampire and I onto the ground, as I stake him in his heart. Autumn stakes the vampire she was fighting with, and I look at the remaning vampire with daggers in my eyes. She growls and runs off, as I throw my stake at her, and she turns to dust. " That was some fight.." Autumn says with a faint smile, as I nod in agreement. " We kicked vampire ass tonight," I say with a smile, as we high-five each other, and we put our stakes back in our pockets. We begin to walk to the entrance, but three vampires block our way, and we both exchange smiles. " You up to it?" Autumn asks. " Oh yeah," I say with a smile, as we both release our stakes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 34: Only  
  
  
  
" And Hope was like 'Oh yeah', and we totally kicked vampire ass last night!" Autumn yells in excitement, as my parents smiles at us both. " It sounds like a very intresting night," my mother says. " Tiring to be exact," Autumn replies. " Tiring? I'm far from tired. Infact, I think I'll go patrolling tonight," I say with a smile. " Hope, tonight is your night off." my dad tells me, but I smile. " Night off? Okay, let me explain this to you. Autumn and I are slayers. Slayers kill vampires. Killing vampires= No days or nights off. It's a full seven-night-and-day service," I reply. " Wow, Hope. Your really into the whole 'slayage fest' this week," my mother tells me. " Well, I am the chosen one, ya know." I say with a smile. Autumn rolls her eyes, and sips her Coke in silence. " Hope this, and Hope that." Autumn says, as she walks beside Dawn. " Welcome to the oh so fun world of being a little sister," Dawn replies with a faint smile. " What do you mean? You and Mom didn't get along?" Autumn asks, as Dawn smiles a little. " Your Mom was kind of like the motherly type person when your grandma died. We got along, of coarse.But our relationship waesn't just sisterly.It was mother-daughtly too." she replies. " Sucked, huh?" Autumn asks with a quirky smile. " No. Okay, some times." Dawn replies. " In the long run I knew that Buffy was just doing everything she did to make sure I was okay." " Lucky you. Hope does just the opposite. It's like I don't even exist in the chosen two deal. She doesn't even think of me as a slayer at all. Just her dumb little sister." Autumn says with a frown. " She just doesn't want you to get hurt, Autumn." Dawn says, as Autumn rolls her eyes. " Yeah, sure. Whatever," Autumn says, as she begins to walk away. " Autumn!" Dawn yells, but Autumn waves her hand goodbye, as she keeps on walking. " Teenagers." Dawn says, as she walks away. " Have fun last night?" David asks me, as I sit in the middle of him and Alysion. " Oh, yeah. Real fun. Slaying vampires with my sister.Typical sister bonding." I say sarcastically. " Kind of sucked, huh?" Alysion asks me with a corky smile. " Kind of did," I reply with a smile, as I sip my water. " I mean, Autumn's a good slayer and all.But..She's just to young. I mean, she should be." I begin to say, but David cuts me off. " A regular girl?" David asks, as I smile warmily at him. " Something like that." I say, as I lean against him. " I mean, what exactly is a 'regular girl' ?" Alysion asks , as she patrols with me. " Anything other than being a slayer," I answer with a faint smile. " So, your saying then, by being a slayer, you're a freak?" Alysion asks me, as I let out a light laugh. " Not a freak.Just kind of freaky." I say, as I stop, to hear fighting. " Duty calls." I tell Alysion as we rush over to the scene. We stop, seeing Autumn fighting three vampires. Immedntly, I jump into the scene, and begin to fight the vampires. I swiftly stake the three. " What the hell was that!?!" Autumn yells, as I stare at her in shock. " It's called staking a vampire, Autumn. You know, what us slayer's do. Question. What the hell were you doing taking on three vampires, all by yourself!?!" I yell. " It's called fighting vampires. You know, what us slayer's do," she says her voice dripping with anger and sarcasm. " Autumn." I say, but she cuts me off. " Autumn, nothing. I am sick and tired of you always telling me what and what not to do! I am not four- year-old Autumn anymore. I am 13-year-old Autumn. And you know what, this is it, Hope. From now on there is no 'chosen two', there is only the 'chosen one'. We don't fight together anymore, we fight apart." Autumn tells me with anger in her voice, as she walks away from me, but before she does, I see the same hint of anger and evil in her eye that Kat had. " What's with her?" Alysion asks me, as I watch my sister walk away, as I feel tears of anger and sadness prick at my eyes. " You heard her, Alys. There's no more 'chosen two'. There's only the 'chosen one'.And you know what?" I say, as I turn around and face her. " I'm the only chosen one around here from now on."  
  
  
  
Chapter 35: Sisterly Bonding  
  
" She's gone totally 'solo slayer', Dad." I tell my father, as we sit across from each other at the school library, as Alysion sits beside my father, and David sits beside me. " It was really bad, Angel. Autumn went totally 'yelling spree' on Hope." Alysion tells my dad. " She's probally just jealous. I mean, you are more experienced then she is," my father tells me. " I guess. But, when she was walking.She had that same anger in her eye that Kat did." I say. " Oh, great. We have another rogue slayer on our hands?" David asks. " Kat. Faith. Autumn. Jesus, Hope and Buffy are the only good ones that have ever been called." " Autumn's good, you guys. She's just a little angry." I tell them. " A little? She sure didn't seem 'a little' angry, last night. A whole lot of anger was coming out of that girl," Alysion says. " Maybe I should try to talk to her." my dad says. " No, dad. Let me. I mean, I'm the one she's pissed at.." I say. " I'll just stand by, because, you know.Two slayers at each other. Doesn't sound pretty to me," David says. " Turn you on, David?" Alysion asks. " Yeah, kind of." he says. " Okay, all in favor of 'ew'!" I say. " Here here." Alysion says, as my father smirks. I walk down the stairs of my basement, to see Autumn beating the shit out of the punching bag. Her body is drenched with sweat, and a mess of damp blonde hair sorondes her face. " Burning calories I see." I say, as I walk over to her, as she punches the bag more violently. " Better than starving myself," she replies, as she kicks the bag. " Whoa. Anger is good amo I see," I tell her. " Best kind," Autumn replies. " Look, Autumn, we need to talk." I tell her. " About what? About how I'm always in your shadow? About how mom and dad praise you only about slaying?" Autumn asks, as she faces me. " That's not true, Autumn, and you know it." I tell her. " Do I?" she asks. " God! Get off your self-pity trip and get with the real world. We are slayers. We kill vampires, not each other," I reply. " Didn't seem to care when it came to Kat," she replies, as a pain stings my heart. " I had no choice!" I say in my defense, as pain builds inside of me. " You could've went back in there." Autumn says, as she circles me. " But, nah. Hope comes first, right?" she asks. " Shut the fuck up!" I scream. She stops circling me, and flashes me a seductive smile, before she goes to speak. " Make me." " Why are you so angry with me?" I ask her, holding back my tears. " It's always about you, Hope. Hope this. Hope that. Oh, Hope, better watch out for Autumn. Or, Hope good job with the slaying. But, never Autumn good job," she tells me, I can see her anger fading as she lets her emotions out. " Look, I'm sorry you feel this way, but it's not true, and you know it." I protest. " How could I know? You haven't even been around.And when you are, it's not like your really here." Autumn tells me, as I sit beside her. I haven't been there for my sister. I've been there for me. Nobody else. " That's all going to change, because I'm going to be here from now on," I tell her. " You promise?" Autumn asks with an innocence smile. " I'm totally promise girl," I say, as I embrace her in a hug. " How'd it go?" my mother asks me, as I enter the living room. " We just talked. Totally sister-bonding action," I say, as I sit beside her on the couch. " Sounds very bondingly." my mom says with a smile on her face. " In a weird, emotion-fest kind of way," I reply. " Darn," my mother says as she snaps her fingers. " Hate those kind," she jokes. " My point exactly," I answer. " Are you enjoying yourself?" David asks me, as his arm is tightly wrapped around my shoulder, as we walk through the night streets of Sunnydale. " I am past enjoying and gone straight to loving myself," I reply with a small smile. " I'll take that as a yes," David replies, as he kisses my forehead and I smile. " Feel like patroling?" David asks, as I roll my eyes but I smile. " Ah, hunting vampires.The end to a perfect date.." I say. The two of us walk to the cemetary, as I hand him a stake, as I get out my own. " Quiet tonight.." David says, as a vampires jumps infront of us. " Thanks David." I say sarcastically, as I release my stake. Then, I stop, recongizing the vampire. I gasp in horror.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 36: New Man  
  
  
  
" Connor." I say in almost a whisper. " Hey sis, or shall I say slayer? How ya doing? Gee.I'm feeling kind of.." he releases his fangs. " Dead." My hands start to tremble, and I feel my body begin to go weak, and I try with all my strength to keep control. " Aren't you going to slay me?" Connor asks. " I-I'm not going to..I'm not going to hurt you," I tell him, but he lets out a demonic laugh, as David eyes him. " How..?" is all I can ask. " Out with the guys. Ran into some vampires. Got my blood sucked. I sucked their blood. It was a sucking thing," he replies, as I look on i.n horror at my brother. " Since your just going to stand there, I might as well kill you now," Connor yells, as he charges me, taken me by surprise, as we go tumbling. He releases his fangs and goes to bite me, but I unwillingly kick him off of me, and jump up, my slayer instincts to survive kicking in. He growls and punches me across my face, as I kick him in his stomach, knocking him down. Connor kicks me in my stomach, sending me hitting the floor. Immedntly, David pins him down, and is just about to stake Connor. " No!" I yell, as I stop the stake from hitting my brother's heart. " Don't." Connor growls and runs off, as David and I watch him run. " There's a ring." my mom tells Autumn and I, as we sit in the living room. " It makes vampires able to go out in the day..It makes them mortal." Autumn and I exchange looks. " Mortal?" Autumn asks. " I thought that was impossiable, unless.." I cut my sister off, as Autumn and I look at my father. My father lifts up his finger to reveal a celtic looking ring. " .Dad." Autumn says, as I study the ring closely. " What happens if you take it off?" I ask, as I make eye-contact with my father. " I'll be." my mother cuts him off. " Angelus," she says, as my eyes widen. " Dad. You can't," I say. " There's no other option, Hope. It's either me or Connor." my father says. " And I chose Connor over me." " .We'll get you back." my mother says to my father, as doubts rush through my mind. " I know you will, Buffy." my father says, as he kisses her. " Question. How do we find Connor?" Autumn asks. " Easy. We get bate." I say, as I look at a picture of Alysion and Connor. " If I die, I'm coming back as a ghost and sueing you," Alysion says, as we all walk her to the cemetary. " We'll be right over here, Alyson," my mom says. " If there's any trouble, scream." my dad tells her. " Are you sure you want to this?" I ask her, as she smiles. " I'm sure," Alysion says. " Good luck," Autumn says, as Alysion flashes her a smile. " Hey beautiful." Connor says, as Alysion smiles fakily. " I want to join your club.." Alysion says, as she exposes her neck. " .Of coarse..Anything you want." Connor says, as he goes in to bite Alysion, and we run over. My mom pins Connor down, as Alysion gets helped up by Autumn. " Daddy." I say, as he takes off the ring, and Autumn slips it on to Connor's finger. I then see the animal face of my father. We make eye- contact, as Connor changes back to normal. My mother helps her son to his feet, and she and my father make eye-contact, as he growls and rushes into the darkness.  
  
Chapter 37: The Good Fight  
  
The next night, Buffy Summers walks throughout the dark cemetary, a stake in her hand. I haven't done this in a while. Her golden locks shine in the moonlight, as she's on full alert. Oh, God, Angel..I miss you so much. " Slayer." a farmiliar voice says, as she turns around, to only see her husband, in full vampire form. " Angel." she says to him, as he smirks. " Aren't you a little too old to be doing this?" Angelus remarks, as Buffy holds the stake firmly. " I'm in my prime. Can't say the same about you.." she says. " Oh, c'mon." Angelus says, as he runs his finger along her neck. " We both know you can't kill me." " You obvousily don't know me so well ." Buffy tells him, a fake smile placed upon her lips, as Angelus growls at her. " I'm still a slayer." " Show me what you got." he says, as he charges her, and the two go crashing to the ground. Buffy punches him across his face, as he kicks her off of him. Buffy jumps up, as Angel strikes her across her stomach. She kicks him across his face, sending him backwards. " That all you got!?!" he yells, with a demonic smirk on his face. " I'm just getting started." Buffy replies, as he leaps up. Angel hits Buffy's jaw, as she goes to kick him in his stomach, but he grabs her foot, and throws her against a tree. He walks over to her, as she lyes limp, he grabs her from behind, and reveals her neck. As he goes in to bite her, she opens her eyes, and flips backwards with him, causing her to be free of his grip. " C'mon slayer, you can do better than that!" Angel yells, as Buffy gets in a fighting stance. " Your right," she says, as she kicks down, causing him to fall to the ground, as she punches him, as he gets to his feet. With an unearthly growl, Angel punches her hard in her stomach, knocking her to the ground. He goes to move ontop of her, but she kicks him in his stomach, sending him back, as she leaps up, ready to fight. Buffy pins him against a tree, as she releases her stake. She locks eyes with Angel, but she can not stake him. " Angel." Buffy says, on the verge of tears. He looks at her for a moment, but he frowns and pushes her back.. Suddenly, out of no where, a young girl comes out and tackles Angel. She punches him in his face, as he goes back, she releases her stake, as Buffy grabs her arm before she stakes him. " Don't," Buffy says, but the girl looks at Buffy for a moment. " He's a vampire. You're a civilian. I'm saving your ass. Get the hell out of my way," the girl says, as she pushes Buffy back, as the girl goes to stake Angel once again. " Don't touch him." I say, as I kick the young girl down, as I now stand infront of my father. " Now, Alysion!" I yell, as Alysion resites the soul spell, to restore my father's soul. " He's a fucking vampire!" yells the girl, as I frown. " Reformed vampire, to be exact. Question. Who exactly are you?" I ask, crossing my arms. " Name's Hayley." the girl replies, as she gets up. " The Vampire Slayer."  
  
Chapter 38: Reserect  
  
" Three vampire slayers?" Giles asks, as all of us sit in his apartment, a week later. Giles made a special trip back from Britian, when he heard the news about three vampire slayers he yelled, " Good God! I'll be right there." Dad has his soul back, with the help of Alysion.. And Mom and Dad are just doing fine now. Connor's getting used to being human again..he's stopped craving for blood. Aunt Anya and Uncle Xander moved across the street from us, and Mom was absolutly extact. They have a boy, Josh, who is my age. He and Connor are really tight. I'm happy about that. Hayley seems..well... Mom and Dad say she reminds them of Faith. Autumn and Aunt Dawn have become really great friends, and I'm happy about that. Aunt Dawn signed up to go to college, so she's now attending Harvard University. As for David, he's registrating for college this fall, and I'm with him all the way. As for me.I'm getting used to having another vampire slayer around. Besides, Hayley and I don't really get along that great. She's so. " Bitchy," I tell Giles, as he cleans his glasses. " I'm sure Hayley isn't.bitchy..Hope," he replies. " You haven't met her yet," I reply bitterly, as I sit beside Autumn. Almost on cue, Hayley comes walking in through the front door. Dark make-up coats her eyes and lips, as she pushes a strand of her wildly curly, dark brunette hair behind her ear. She's wearing a black belly-shirt, and black leather pants. A spiked collar with a cross hanging down surronds her neck. Topped off with dark sunglasses. " Hey," Hayley says, as she plops down beside me, as I sit in the middle of my fellow slayers. " You must be the stiffy british guy, Hope told me about." she tells Giles, as he makes eye-contact with me, and I smile innocently. " Jack, right?" she asks. " Giles," he answers. " Whatever," Hayley answers. " I say we slay some vamps," Autumn suggests, as Hayley slaps her a highfive. " That's my girl!" Hayley comments, as I roll my eyes. Her girl? She's my sister! Okay, I'm Ms. Jelous, today. " Not until I understand the meaning of three vampire slayers." Giles says. " How is another called when a slayer didn't die?" he ponders. " Why don't you ask Autumn that question?" Hayley asks, as Autumn suddenly flushes. " Autumn?" my mother asks, as she looks at her daughter. " What is she talking about?" she asks. " Well..I kinda died a couple of days ago in Amy's pool.." Autumn said. " It was only for a minute! And. And. And, Amy used CPR on me, and I'm alive, aren't I?" she protests. " I get it now." Anya says. " That's how Hayley was called!" she exclaims. " Wow, An. Can't get nothing past you!" Xander says sarcastically, as Anya beams with pride. " Who feels like slaying?" I ask, as Hayley and Autumn smile. " Here, here," Autumn says, as Hayley jumps to her feet. " Sounds like a plan," she remarks, as the three of us walk outside. " Oh, wait, I forgot my stake." I say. " Really using your head I see." Hayley barks, as I smirk grimly. " Bite me," I say. " Sorry. Wrong girl. I'm living," Hayley smiles, as I roll my eyes and enter my house, as I go get my stake, but I stop. " I wish Willow was here." my mother says. " We all do, Buff." Xander says. I frown, and walk out the door, stake in hand. " Wow, you sure are amo fuled. What's up?" Hayley asks, as I walk infront of the two. " Were going to reserect someone." I say, without stopping. " Reserect? Who?" Autumn asks, as I turn and face them before I speak. " Willow."  
  
  
  
Chapter 39: Alive.Again  
  
  
  
" Willow." I say, as the redhead comes up from her grave, looking frightened. " Aunt Willow? It's me, Autumn." Autumn says, as she goes to touch her, but Willow shrieks back, and runs. " Wait a minute!" Hayley yells, as we get to our feet and immedntly rush after her. " We have to catch her!" Autumn yells. " No shit!" Hayley says. Suddenly, two vamps jump out infront of us, as I look desperat. " Go. Autumn and I will dust 'em," Hayley tells me, as I smile faintly at them, as I run after Willow. Finally, I tackle Willow, and hold her until she regains control of herself. " Hope?" she asks in a small voice, as I hold her tight. " Hey." I say, as I smile faintly at the red head. " Let's get you home," I say, as I bring her to her feet. " Home?" she asks as I push a strand of my hair behind my shoulder. " Yeah. Home," I answer, as Hayley and Autumn come rushing over. " Vampires?" I ask, as they flash us smiles. " Dusted," Autumn says. " So dusted," Hayley adds. " Were home!" Autumn yells, as we enter the house, to see the gang all siting on the couch, and their different emotions read on their faces at the sight of their resrected friend. " .Willow." my mother says, as she stands to her feet, her golden locks falling upon her shoulders as she stands. " Buffy." Willow replies, as she embraces her friend in a hug, as my mother stares in shock for a moment. " Who..Who did this?" my mother asks, as she steps away from Willow. I thought she'd be happy. " Me." I say, as my mother suddenly slaps me across my face, as I stare at her. She has tears in her eyes, and I am cunfused as to why she just hit me. " I thought you'd be happy." I tell her, as tears unwillingly slide down my face. " Guess not." " Next time why don't you just kill her?" Hayley bitterly says to my mother, as her and Autumn follow after me up to my room. " Buffy..?" Angel asks, as the blonde turns around with tears in her eyes. " None of you understand what it's like to come back from the dead." she suddenly cuts herself off and faces her friend. " Oh God.Are you alright?" she asks Willow. " Yes, Buffy..I am. I'm fine. Are you?" Willow asks, as Buffy just stares at her. " Shit happens," Hayley tells me, as my mother enters my room. " Can I talk to Hope alone, please?" she asks. " Sure. If you promise she'll be alive when we go to see her," Hayley says sarcastically, as my mother frowns lightly at her. " I promise," she answers, as Autumn flashes her a weak smile as her and Hayley leave my room, as my mother walks solemly over to me. " Are you okay?" my mother asks in a careful tone, as I don't dare look at her. Am I okay? Yeah. I'm okay. I just love getting slapped in the face. " I just hope I don't have a mark on Monday." I say bitterly, as I look at her. " I'm so sorry, Hope. It's just.I've been reserected.And, I just don't want your Aunt Willow to go through what I went through. It was nothing but.." I cut my mother off. " Pain?" I ask. " Pain," my mother finishes, as she smiles faintly at me. " You okay?" she asks. " Yeah, once the tingly feeling in my face goes away," I tell her. " Helbout you?" I ask her. " Hanging in there. Willow is chatting with everyone, so I can say that she's getting along great with the whole 'being back in the living' deal," my mother tells me. " Gotcha," I reply. " Hope! Come on! Cookies!" I hear Josh yell up the stairs. " Coming!" I yell back, as I smile at my mother. " Cookies are calling," I say to her, as I make my way to the door. " You coming?" I ask. " In a minute," my mother answers, as I nod and run down the stairs. Buffy gets up and walks over to her daughter's dresser, and picks up a stake. " I'm Buffy." she says, as she smiles weakily in the mirror, as she grips the stake firmly in her hands and pertends to stake a vampire. " The Vampire Slayer."  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 40: Right?  
  
  
  
" I'm fine, Mom!" Josh Harris yelled to his mother, as he ran down the stairs, a piece of toast hanging from his mouth. He swiftly put on his schoolbag as he took a bite of the toast, kissed his mother goodbye and went out the door. " Hey there, stranger." I said to my cousin, as he rushes over to me, with a smile on his face. " Hey to you too," Josh replies. " Looking forward to your first day at Sunnydale High?" I ask him, with a faint smile. " Define looking forward to," he replies, as I laugh lightly. " I'll take that as a no," I say with a smile. Josh, Alysion, Hayley, David, Giles, and my father and I, all sit in the Sunnydale library. " Where is she?" my father asks with a slight annoyance in his voice. " The girl has to walk all the way here from school," Hayley says. " Give Autumn a brake." " Wow, two whole blocks," I say sarcastically. " Whole lotta walking action," Josh replies. " What's the flame of Toron, you guys?" David asks, as he looks up from researching. At once, we all stare at my father for the answer. " What do I look like, research guy?" my father asks sarcastically. " Well, we just figured, since you have been alive for like 300 centries that you'd have the answer..I mean you are older," Alysion says, as we all look at her, as she looks up from her book in innocence. " Um! Older in a good way! A very, very, good way! Infact, the best way around!" Alysion says, as we all smile faintly. All of a sudden, Autumn plops down beside me. " What's the scoop?" she asks. " Oh, were researching the flame of." suddenly David gets cut off. " The flame of Toron, is a very powerful flame which is conseled in the petancy box. This box, if opened, will unleash the flame, and curse the people cenetred around it. The curse can only be broken if." Giles stops speaking. " The other half is gone." " Oh shit. How'd I know that was coming?" Hayley says sarcastically, as she puts her feet up on the table and rolls her eyes. She places a cigarette to her mouth, and lights it, as smoke pours out of her mouth. " Cigarettes!" Autumn says a little too excidengly, as we all look at her. " Not that I smoke! Because, I-I-I don't. Smoking is bad. Very bad. Extremily bad. Bad, bad, smoking." Hayley places her cigarette to a piece of paper, and shows the burning paper to Autumn. " See this piece of paper?" Hayley asks, as Autumn nods. " Yeah?" Autumn asks. " That'll be you.That is, if me and your big sis over here ever catch you smoking. Got that, kid?" Hayley asks, as Autumn looks angrily at her. " Whatever." Autumn says, as she grabs her bag, and begins to walk out. Ah, kid sisters. Don't they suck? Suddenly, a young british man walks into the library, knocking Autumn down in the process. " Hey!" Autumn says, as David helped her to her feet, as Autumn pushes the guy. " You're a slayer." the man says, as he stands beside Giles. " I can tell by the force in your push." " Who the hell are you?" Autumn asks in a annoied tone, as she plops down beside David, arms crossed. Talk about moody. Before the young man gets to answer, Giles speaks for him. " This is Henry Parkenson..He's from The Council," Giles informs, as Henry puts down his briefcase. " The Council? I thought we told you guys never to bother us again," my father says angrily. " Mmmmm..Watchers, how pleasant," Henry remarks, as my father shoots him a dirty look. " Especially a former vampire as a watcher. Double the pleasant," he remarks sarcastically. " Wait- Exactly how do you know that?" Josh asks. " I'm psychic. Your human. Let's see." Henry says as he points to Alysion and David. " You two are also human." " Slayers." Henry says, as he points to Hayley and Autumn, but suddenly walks swiftly over to me, and runs his finger along my face, as I close my eyes. " Your different." he remarks. " What do you mean, different? She's a slayer. A human slayer. Not that there is no non-humany slayers because..um..Just forget that I've just spoken," Alysion says. Different? Well, I do have very out of this world hair. " Born from a slayer and a vampire." Henry says, as a strong emotion rushes over me, at the sound of his voice. " Made from the impossiable." he says, as he runs his finger down my neckline, I close my eyes. " Born from pain." " I'd like it if you'd get your hands off of my girlfriend!" David yells, as my eyes flash open. " And my daughter!" my father adds angrily. I make intense eye-contact with Henry as he smiles and walks back over to Giles. Henry is so intense. I just want to- No! No! I am in love with David. I will not fall for Henry! I promise myself, that I won't fall for him. A promise is a promise. Right?  
  
Chapter 41: Passion & Anger  
  
  
  
" I can't believe you live with us now!" Autumn says excitedly, as she smiles at Hayley. " I just might shit myself," Hayley says with sarcasm and a sly smile, as she sit on her bed. " Oh shove it, Hayl. It's bad enough my parents adopted you. And, it's even worse that Autumn and I have to share a room with you," I say angrily, as I shoot her a dirty look. " Oh, yeah." Hayley says, as she stands up. " And, um, what exactly are you going to do about it?" she asks with a sarcastic smile. " Oh," I say, as I stand eye-to-eye with her. " You don't want to know." " So it's defiant?" Anya asks Buffy and Angel, as the two sit on the couch. Anya and Xander sit together as Giles is standing up. " Yep. No way out of it ." Buffy says, as she sighs. " Henry insits that the test must be done. There is no three slayers, and they must compete each other. There must be only one chosen one," Giles says with a sigh. " Can't we just kill him?" Anya asks. " Who, Henry?" Xander asks. " Yes, Henry. We could tie him up and put bunnies on him," Anya says with a quirky smile. " Um, good idea, An.." Xander remarks. " Thanks," Anya says proudly. " There's something we need to tell you three," my father says, as he enters the room with my mother right beside him. " Try us," Hayley says. They tell us all about the test, all about Henry, and all about how there is only to be one slayer. " Compete each other?" Autumn asks with an innocent face. " That's fucked up," Hayley states, as my mother and father shoot her a look. " What? It is!" she adds. " There's aboslutely nothing we can do about it," my mother says gently with a sigh, as I stand to my feet, and begin to walk out. " Hope, Where are you going?" my father asks me. " If you can't do anything about it." I begin, but I suddenly turn around to face them. " Then I will." " Yes?" Henry says as he answers his door. Flashing him a hate-filled glare, I push my way past him and enter his house, as he shuts the door behind me as I do so. " Excuse me, Ms. Summers! This is my home! You can't just come barging in!" he yells, as I look at him, arms crossed. " Yeah, well, Sunnydale is my home, and who the hell do you think you are to just come barging into our lives!?!" I yell, as he comes eye-to-eye with me. Passion and anger are burning in his eyes, as we suddenly begin to kiss. Flashes of David and I rush through my head as we kiss, and a sickening feeling of regret rushes throughout my body, as I lye down and we kiss deeper and deeper. Everything is a blur, as he kisses my neck. " I want you." I whisper into his ear. Rushing through the doors of Sunnydale High, I rush into my class, to only see the whole class eyeing me as I do so. " Your late," my teacher states, as I take my seat. " I know.I'm sorry," I say, as she gives me a dirty look. " Save it ." Hayley says as I go to speak to her. " Jesus. What's your problem?" I ask her with a frown. " I don't know.Maybe it's the fact that my sister is doing the new watcher in town," she replies roughly. How the hell does she know? " Your not my sister." I tell her harshly, as the bell rings, as I head out for lunch. " Just listen to me!" Hayley pleads, as she grabs my arm to face her. " Look, I just don't want to see you get hurt." she says. " Your all I've got left." We make brief eye-contact, but before either of us can say a word, the students rush into the halls, as each one of our friends surrond each of us. " You coming?" Alysion asks me, as I look at Hayley one last time, before I turn and face Alysion. " Yeah," I say, as I walk away with Alysion. I hear Hayley walk away with her friend, Madison, and I look back as she does.  
  
Chapter 42: Rain  
  
Knock. Knock. " Hey baby," David greets, as I am soaked from the rain, as I smile a little at him. " Can I come in? We really need to talk," I tell him. " Coarse," he replies, as I step into his house, and he closes the door behind me. " What's up?" David asks me, as I turn around to face him. " Are we alone?" I ask him, as he nods. We both sit down on his couch, as I face him with a horrified look of guilt. " It..It took a lot for me to come over tonight, and tell you this. Knowing, that once I tell you, that you'll never talk to me again.And." I now feel my face turn red, as tears almost brake through. He takes his hand in mine, as a single tear slides down my face. " It's alright. Just tell me," David says, as I look into his eyes, and my heart sinks at what I am about to tell him. " David, I..." Pause. " I made love to Henry," I admit, as I see his face turn to a pained expression, and I watch solemly as his hand slips away from mine, as he now stands to his feet. " How could you do that? How could you just have sex with a guy you barely know, and just forget all about what we have!?" David yells, as I now stand to my own feet. " I-I waesn't.There's no excuse for what I did. I never meant to hurt you.." I say, as he looks at me. " Too late. You already did," David says, as I look at him with mixed feelings. " What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say I'm sorry, and that I love you with all my heart? Would that help? I don't have to say it, because I feel it. I feel love. Love that I feel for you, it's stronger than a one night stand. If you want me to walk away and never look back, I will. If you want me to get out and never come back, just tell me.and I'll do what you ask! I just want you to forgive me." I tell him, as I feel tears sliding down my face. " Get out." David tells me, as I feel pain all over me at his words, as I walk past him, and out of his house and unto the wet, night streets of Sunnydale. I hear his door slam, as I hear him punch a wall, as I walk solemly through the rain. Anger and sadness emerge from me, as I begin to run. I run to Giles's house, and I ring his doorbell, as I try to hold back my tears. " Hope?" Giles asks in surprise, as I look at him in utter pain, as I burst out crying, and I fall into his arms, crying hysterically.  
  
Chapter 43: Haunted  
  
" Feeling any better?" Giles asks me, as I respond with a slight nod, as I sip my hot chocolate. " I don't mean to push, but, you still haven't told me why you broke up with David," he tells me, as I look at him, ashamed. " It's not important," I answer, as I take a long sip of my drink. Giles studies me for a moment, as he looks at me with slight cunfusion. " What is it, Hope?" he asks me in question, as I put my cup down on the table, and suddenly turn my attention to him. " What.What do you mean?" I ask him, as I sit back down, and try not to make eye- contact with him. " You know what I mean. What is it that's haunting you?" Giles questions, as I suddenly lock eyes with him, and a sickening feeling rushes throughout my whole body. Rushing a hand through my hair, I try not to respond to his meaningful question. Trying to dodge answering, I look at my watch. " Damn. It's pretty late. Almost midnight..I." before I can finish speaking, Giles cuts in. " You should stay the night. As you said, it's late. I'll call Buffy and Angel and let them know. Okay?" he asks me, as I smile gratefully at him. " Yep," I respond, as he gets up to make the phone call. As he does, I bury my head in my hands, trying not to cry anymore. 


End file.
